Do you buy comic books?

That’s my question for you today. Do you buy comic books? If so, why? What keeps you coming back each month to each book you buy?

I’ve stated on many occasions that I’m an avid X-Men fan and each month I come back to my X-books knowing that the story is going to go forward to something great–and also, small hopes that Gambit will make an appearance. Marvel has (pretty much) had solid writing on the part of X-Men for the last 10 years or so and since I started picking up single issues instead of trades (which started roughly a year and a half ago) I’ve been buying at least one X-book a month because they’re that good. Of course, as of right now I’m buying almost all the X-books (Uncanny X-Men, X-Force, X-Factor, X-Men: Legacy, Cable)… because I’m a super nerd.

But I also pick up a lot of non-X-books.

Invincible Iron Man, for instance, is a book I’ve been buying since I read the first issue of “World’s Most Wanted.” Combining the art of Salvador Larroca and the writing of Matt Fraction, the 12 issue story arc has kept me wanting more and more each month. Both the plot and the art are above and beyond what I ever thought possible for a story focused on Iron Man. This is one of the books I’m going to classify as “I’m glad I started reading/buying when I did.”

Incredible Hercules. I have been reading Incredible Hercules since it’s first issue after World War Hulk, but I didn’t start buying it until issue #125 or so. Since then, I have bought the back issues of the comic (back to #112). This is a comic that when I read it, I don’t want it to end. The story and the writing in general is simply fantastic. It drives the comic beyond what I would ever expect from a Marvel comic. It’s strange to say, but this comic is so good, I’m surprised it hasn’t been canceled yet. Do you know what I mean?

Marvel aside, I do grab some DC/Vertigo comics as well as some independents.

Detective Comics. This is the one comic book I never thought I’d see myself reading a year ago. To me Detective Comics and Action Comics are the definitive DC comics and a year ago I wanted nothing to do with DC. I was a fool. On a whim I picked up Detective Comics #854 after a buddy of mine recommended it to me. This is another one of those “I’m glad I started reading/buying when I did” comics as I can not stop loving every piece of this comic. The art alone keeps me coming back each month.

The Vertigo comic I read right now that keeps me wanting more each month is DMZ. A comic I started buying back around issue #35, I wish I owned #1-34 because Brian Wood’s story is just fan-flipping-tastic. This is probably the best non-super-hero comic I have ever read in my life. Period.

Outside of Robert Kirkman’s plethora of sexy-time comic books, I read some random independent comics because I always like to try out the indie publishers here and there to see if there is greatness out there. Warren Ellis‘ torrent of comics that he releases tend to keep me buying every month (most recently Supergod and Ignition City), Garth Ennis‘ Crossed, and Mark Waid’s Irredeemable keep me wanting more every month. With these indie comics, it’s a sick hunger I get for more story each month. Wendigo style.

There are a few others in there I buy but the comics above are the ones I always look forward to the most. But again, I have to know, why do you buy comics? What keeps you coming back to your favorite titles? Let me know in the comments.

So I wrote last month’s X-centric thinking, “Hey, why not?” and now I feel like I should just do this because I want to please. Is that so wrong? I love me some X-Men and there’s nothing more that I like to do outside of review the comics they are in.

Anyways, this month we’re missing an X-title from the last post: X-Force–it comes out THIS week (the 22nd)– but we still had four comics to read:

1. Uncanny X-Men #508
2. X-Men: Legacy #223
3. X-Factor #42
4. Wolverine Noir #1

Now, you may not consider that last one to be an X-title, but nevertheless, I’m throwing it in here.

Possible spoilers after the break.

(more…)

I don’t know how it happened, but Marvel has managed to put their four main X-Men books in one week: X-Men: Legacy, X-Factor, X-Force, and Uncanny X-Men. This last week, we, the readers, were given these three books and, as you would assume, each have their own style and feeling and each make me feel completely different about the X-Men. With writers Peter David (X-Factor), Mike Carey (Legacy), Christopher Yost and Craig Kyle (X-Force) and Matt Fraction (Uncanny) each book I read leaves me feeling excited, okay, blood-thirsty and strange–respectively.

I read all four of these books and have been for the last eight years or so (or however long they have been out–X-Factor, X-Force) and I’ve seen some changes, both good and bad and I think I’m going to make it my goal to comment on these four books every month from here on with a post like this–assuming they’ll keep coming out on the same week.  This month we were handed Uncanny X-Men #507, X-Force #13, X-Factor #41, and X-Men: Legacy #222…

Continue on after the break (spoilers).

(more…)

Well everyone, since I’ve been lacking so much in my review count (seriously, what is my problem?), let me give you the insight into a gigantic 8 comics this week. That’s right. 8 comics!

Mind you, this week was pretty big–I myself read at least 18 comics–and here are a few I think you all may find a bit interesting:

• Squadron Supereme 2 #8
• Amazing Spider-Man #587
• Four Eyes #2
• Firebreather #4
• Invincible #59
• Uncanny X-Men #506
• Shrapnel #2
• X-Men: Legacy #221

Who’s excited? I’m excited. Are you excited? You better be.

**some spoilers after the break**

(more…)

Wow. Usually, solicitations are the typical new issues of a series. Sometimes they are the start of an exciting arc, but mostly, there’s not a lot to get excited about. The few new series or mini-series are what are usually most exciting. This month, the comic book publishers (mostly Marvel) decided to pull out all the stops and bring out a bunch of really interesting stuff. Seriously, this post is going to be really long, as I have a lot to feature. So sit back, grab a drink and get ready to find out what comics are going to be making headlines as the weather starts to turn warm again.

(more…)

Dead of Night Featuring Werewolf by Night #1 Cover

He’s the man that brings you Cable every month in all its glory. He’s the man that was able to somehow take over for the amazing team of Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker on Immortal Iron Fist. So what does Duane Swierczynski have in store for us, his loyal fans, now? Why, Dead of Night Featuring Werewolf by Night, of course (but you already knew that, or you wouldn’t be reading this)!

Werewolf by Night tells the story of Michael Shepard, an average guy with a beautiful wife, a baby on the way, and a job that forces him to leave her every month. Only, everything isn’t quite as it seems. You see, Michael Shepard is really Jack Russell and he really goes away every month to lock himself in a cell for 2 days. Why does he do this? Because he turns into a werewolf!

After the break, I’ll give you the lowdown on this new limited series and whether you should pick it up.

(more…)

In Case You’re Just Joining Us: Tony Stark just got served.

I know I can’t shut up about Matt Fraction and Salvador LaRocca’s run on “Invincible Iron Man”, but as long as this creative team keeps knocking it out of the park, I’m gonna let you all know about it.

(more…)

So, this new idea came to mind just a few days ago that we here at DestroyTheCyb.org should get together and let you guys all know what our favorite comics were for the month of November. We all have our favorites and even with the short amount of time we all managed to come up with our favorites, so without further ado, DestroyTheCyb.org’s Favorite Comics of November.

**possible spoilers after the break**

(more…)

Dead of Night Featuring Warewolf By Night #1 Cover

My first impression when viewing the solicitations for the new year for the big 2 comic book publishers was “this is it?” Honestly, it felt a little underwhelming. Considering the fact that Marvel is coming off their big cross-over event, Secret Invasion and in the midst of a whole boat load of X-Men stuff, you’d think that more would be happening. Same for DC, where they are set to finish up their big cross-over, Final Crisis, is post-Batman R.I.P. and is also finishing up Superman’s major New Krypton story arc. But then I dug a little deeper and pulled out a whole bunch of great gems to get excited for. And I’m sure there’ll be more, as many Marvel solicitations are still classified until Secret Invasion wraps up next month. January is shaping up to be a pretty good month to be a comic book fan. And guess what, it is also my birthday month. So, faithful readers, I expect each and every one of you to go out and get me a comic book for my birthday. Seriously. Do it! But until then, read on for some previews so you can decide which one to get me…

(more…)

Uncanny X-Men #500 Cover

In a sudden turn that I completely did not expect (OK, I expected it a little), Uncanny X-Men has quickly become one of my favorite Marvel books and I get more and more excited each week as the release date comes closer and closer. And unlike the Mark Millar books I look forward to, that release date doesn’t move back multiple times. But that is a complaint for another post.

As for Uncanny, after my initial disappointment in #500, this book just keeps topping itself. This month, we find out more about the X-Men’s newest foes, the Hellfire Cult. Also, we get another glance at just how dark the X-Men are getting (hint: Cyclops + torture). So, hit the jump and read my full review below, with lots of gushing over the writing and the art.

(more…)