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.

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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).

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Super Human Resources #1 cover

Ah, the indie comics always get me… They always do. Super Human Resources #1 came out this past week, and it was strangely funny, but before I divulge any more information than that, on with the TPKC:

Theory: I saw this 3 months ago or so in my Previews book and thought what the heck. The description of this book was something like, “A parody on modern comic books” and a few famous writers–who I have suddenly forgot–said some things like, “This is the funniest comic book I have ever read,” and I just wanted to try it out for the hell of it. When I signed up for it though, I thought it was going to be something like a normal guy goes to work for a super human agency and he ends up being apart of some team as “the normal guy” who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Of course, I was dead wrong. The comic book creates a very sarcastic look at the modern super hero marketing and human side of things and how you or me would work in such a world where super heroes are on the move and we, the normal people, have to deal with them and the typical cubicle world. But let me continue after the break with the Punch, Kick, and Conclusion.

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Ultimate Fantastic Four #60

An undeniably slow week in the comic world this week. While many of you will be picking up plenty of issues of your favorite series which are in the middle of the arc, there’s very little new stuff starting up. So, you may be buying a lot, but there’s not much new or exciting stuff to point out. Nevertheless, I’ve complied 4 books (all Marvel, sorry) that you might want to take a look at when you visit the shop this week.

Ultimate Fantastic Four #60

So, it’s the last issue. Pretty much the only thing that makes this worth noting. Truthfully, the series has gone down hill lately and Ultimatum hasn’t really done much to make it better. But, still, being that it is the final issue, it is worth noting here.

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I’ve decided that if it came down to it (which it very well might given how insanely broke I am lately) that I would SO drop all other Marvel comics and just buy the X-titles. This issue of X-Factor proves why I would do such a thing.

And damn it all, I should have had this review out last Wednesday or Thursday when I started it because you honestly have no idea how effing good this issue is (unless you read it). As I’ve expressed all over the web and maybe here once or twice, I am so happy with where Peter David is taking X-Factor. He’s done such a damn good job up through this issue, I can’t see him doing any wrong.

But let’s continue with a spoiler-free review (per Peter David’s wishes).

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What If? House of M Cover

New this week in the world of Marvel is the start of a month of new What If? issues from the publisher. In case you don’t know, What If? issues basically take an existing story in the Marvel universe and change something about the story and tell the outcome. Fun stuff, right?

This week’s issue focuses on House of M, that crazy Marvel event that ended with Scarlet Witch saying “no more mutants” and the outcome has been playing out in the X-books for the last few years. But what if she had said “no more powers” instead? That’s the focus of this issue.

Also, because Marvel loves us, part one of What If? Runaways Became The Young Avengers? That’s right, it’s like 2 books for the price of one. Want to know if it’s worth your money? Read on, true believer!

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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**

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X-Factor #37 cover

First and foremost here today folks, let us all thank the mighty gods of comic books for slapping Marvel across the face in a very forceful manner in which caused them to bring back the (pardon my French) fucking incredible art of Valentine De Landro.

Secondly, issues such as this one are the reason I love X-Factor. Peter David has had me craving more and more of this series since day one, and lucky for us, we haven’t had any delays or problems with the series (minus the previous couple of issues that featured some of the worst art I have ever seen in a comic book).

This month is chalked full of X-Factor goodness, drama and laughs. After the break we can divulge more into that. (watch for spoilers)

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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…

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