alexander Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 The Boys is awful with a few moments of very good. Ennis' problem is that he used to be able to write incredibly violent, over the top comics that were anchored by amazing character moments with tons of heart. Preacher is full of horrible gore and bad taste, but it's the relationships between the three main cast that make it such a classic. The Boys has touched on some brilliantly emotional moments between Annie and Hughie, but it's buried under tons of juvenile humour, and some really petulant whining about Superhero stories from Ennis (Who, as the years go by, has become more and more irritating on this point - "So, superheroes would have made a real mess of 9/11, eh Garth? Thanks, that really made me think about whatever the fuck point you were trying to make. Professor X is a child molestor? Edgy.) Â A ton of superhero books have come out over the last few years that blow everything Ennis has written, except Preacher, Hellblazer and Hitman, far out of the water. And some that've beaten them, as well. I think he's just a little insecure about what he does for a living. Â Although, reinventing Wolverine as a man with hammers for hands who just says "Gonna" all the time...Well, that was very funny. And not much of a stretch at all. Â The really sad thing about all this, is that Ennis obviously can write Superheros well if he chooses to, as the issue of Hitman with Superman in is one of the best appearances of Big Blue ever. Â Â I really loved Sinestro Corps War. It's massive, fun, cosmic, inclusive, epic, and exciting. Â I loved 52 as well, mainly because it's a book all about Question, Booster Gold, Animal Man and Doc Magnus. Â Is the Question still a chick? I really like the 80s Vic Sage Question, I'm not sure about this one. Â Yeah, it's Rene Montoya, from the bat books. I really like Vic Sage too, he's one of my all time favourites. But the Montoya version has been very good in its own way. Â The best DC story of the last five years isn't in continuity, it's the 12 issue series All Star Superman. It's probably the best of the last ten years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotlightmagnet1 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 I still like Boys. I'm sorry maybe i'm just that damn immature. Although i would point out that Ennis' work on the Punisher and Punisher Max was very good and i would rate them up with Hellblazer. Especially try to find Slavers, it really has a message that needs to be said more often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Ennis' Punisher was the only time the character has ever been even slightly worth reading about, that's for sure. Incredibly repetitve though; every story is pretty much "villain does something incredibly horrible, Frank Castle does something even worse to the villain" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Just read Hitman by Garth Ennis and be taken in by the warm glowing warming glow. Â May i ask which Hitman have you read? I have Ace Of Spades and the Arkham Asylum one (forget the title but the origin and stuff) and i can't seem to find anymore in my area. Â Hitman is a touch of class though. Both books were great reads and remarkably fresh idea for a comic based in Gotham City anyroad. I think only two or three volumes of Hitman have been released in TPB form, though I'm not sure why. I bought a full collection of single issues on ebay as well, it's worth it I reckon. Â The Boys is the only monthly comic I read, though it's not great. The problem is that "Superheroes are childish, geeky shit" is a battle that, for the most part, has already been won or lost depending on the reader. The Boys isn't going to convert anyone and isn't making any terribly clever points about them. I'm not sure who the target audience is other than people like me who are fans of Ennis and hate the spandex-clad vigilantes. Anyone who wants to see Ennis get really nasty, check out his other current book "Crossed" - some rather deft sickness involved in that, though not enough to make it compelling. The release schedule and the fractured narrative (plus the cheap Avatar Press artwork) don't serve it well. Â Ennis' Punisher was the only time the character has ever been even slightly worth reading about, that's for sure. Incredibly repetitve though; every story is pretty much "villain does something incredibly horrible, Frank Castle does something even worse to the villain" That's the problem with the Punisher character, really. It's so one-note - and has to be - that there's really not much you can do with it. Interesting scenarios/violence and some cool secondary/surrounding characters is the best the Punisher can get. It reminds me of The Crow in that respect, or even the Saw movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamTheGreat Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I think Ennis is aware of how one demesional Frank Castle can be, hence the captions/ tought boxes. Spotlight magent mentions the slavers. It's probably the most powerful of the max series. The scene where he repeatedly throws that woman into the bullet proof window until the frame gives. You can feel the rage coming through, yet Ennis writes just how pintless Castle's war on crime is. He mentions how can't stop all trafficking. The Boys hasn't reached that level yet. I think Ennis enjoys the shock value of ripping into superhero mythos. Especially DareDevil for some reason (full blown aids). But I have a feeling MM's back story might just deliver on the pathos front. But personally I love Billy Butcher as a character. I haven't read Herogasm. That will come out as a trade paperback right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) I'm not sure how or why one would compare The Boys to Punisher Max. Both are gory, but Punisher was gritty, dry action and The Boys is an utterly absurd black comedy. It's funny you mention MM - I don't know if you've read the latest The Boys, but there's some very weird shit that undercuts the pathos of his backstory. Then again, Punisher was full of weird outlandish stuff as well. But I don't know, it just has a very different feel to me than The Boys does. Â I was never too fond of Punisher Max. I liked the Slavers, but was utterly bored by Nick Fury and many of the mobsters. And I don't share Ennis' interest in the military at all, so all the American/Russian/Arab generals stories left me cold. I also found the artwork shockingly bad at times. I forget the artists now, but I think it was the guy that was pencilling during the last Barracuda appearance - absolutely useless. I much preferred the Punisher Knights run. I've noticed that Robertson appears to be phoning it in with The Boys sometimes, too. Edited October 21, 2009 by Pityinthecityofsin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamTheGreat Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I only get the trades, so I've not read the latest. I think it's the same artist on long cold dark that did baracuda's one off. I felt it hit and miss. Not a patch on steve dillon who out did himself in the return of ma gnucchi. The look on Frank's face when the mob boss surrenders was epic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 The problem is that "Superheroes are childish, geeky shit" is a battle that, for the most part, has already been won or lost depending on the reader. The Boys isn't going to convert anyone and isn't making any terribly clever points about them. I'm not sure who the target audience is other than people like me who are fans of Ennis and hate the spandex-clad vigilantes. Anyone who wants to see Ennis get really nasty, check out his other current book "Crossed" - some rather deft sickness involved in that, though not enough to make it compelling. The release schedule and the fractured narrative (plus the cheap Avatar Press artwork) don't serve it well. Â Yeah, it's hard to see what Ennis is trying to accomplish, apart from amusing himself and, like I said, perhaps making himself feel a little better about how he earns a living. And it's hard to take his criticism of superheroes fans as people who need to grow up that seriously, considering the amount of adolescent wish fulfilment he produces these days. Â I think Crossed goes as far as any comic I've read in terms of gore on the page (although I've never been a fan of horror comics, really) It comes out so infrequently and never really did anything other than occasionally shock me with its misanthropy, so I couldn't care less, really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members ReturnOfTheMack Posted October 21, 2009 Paid Members Share Posted October 21, 2009 I just found a load of Preacher comics (not the graphic novel collections, actual single issue comics) and am thinking about selling them. Anyone know what kind of prices they go for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I just found a load of Preacher comics (not the graphic novel collections, actual single issue comics) and am thinking about selling them. Anyone know what kind of prices they go for? Â The single issues don't seem very popular on ebay. I've only just remembered the new hardcover of the first 12 issues. I'm gonna have to get me one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Famous Mortimer Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 I'm missing a few Preachers, so let me know what numbers you have and I'll make you an offer on any I don't have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members ReturnOfTheMack Posted October 21, 2009 Paid Members Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) PM sent fella. Â Â A price guide says that in the condition they are in they are worth about Edited October 21, 2009 by Darkstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotlightmagnet1 Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 I was never too fond of Punisher Max. I liked the Slavers, but was utterly bored by Nick Fury and many of the mobsters. And I don't share Ennis' interest in the military at all, so all the American/Russian/Arab generals stories left me cold. I also found the artwork shockingly bad at times. I forget the artists now, but I think it was the guy that was pencilling during the last Barracuda appearance - absolutely useless. I much preferred the Punisher Knights run. I've noticed that Robertson appears to be phoning it in with The Boys sometimes, too. Â The artwork i thought was alright but Long Cold Dark was terrible. TBH, i didn't like that story and thought it was a bit of a shitter to end the run on. And the pencilling was awful, especially with Yorkie, dunno why that's what stands out in the artwork. The background almost looked like someone was drawing the Simpsons living room at times. Â In terms of artwork, who do you like? I love Simon Davies work for 2000 AD (Sinister Dexter and something really recent but can't remember the title) and of course Darrick Robertson, Steve Dillion and Carlos Equessa. Those guys i think are very good at getting expressions just right for certain moments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) For me, nothing beats Dillon. He only draws one face, but he draws it so well. The key thing for me is characters and story, and Dillon gets that bang on - as you said, he nails facial expressions, and they're what sell everything that happens. Edited October 21, 2009 by Pityinthecityofsin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynamite Duane Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) I don't tend to buy comics these just borrow the odd graphic novel from the local library and was wondering how much imports cost now? Â Back in about 1990 when I regularly bought comics if I recall a $1.50 comic cost a Edited October 21, 2009 by Dynamite Duane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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