Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:

Dark Horse Titles

DC M to Z Titles

First Publishing Titles

X-Men Titles

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: HEADQUARTERS

Disclosure:

As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:

DC M to Z Titles

Eclipse Titles

Marvel 1990 to Today Titles

Science Fiction Titles

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: AVENGERS

Disclosure:

As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:

Daredevil Titles

DC M to Z Titles

DC Ducks & Mice Titles

Spider-Man Titles

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: KIN

Disclosure:

As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:

1980's back issues comics

Horror/Supernatural Titles

Marvel Ultimate Titles

Star Wars Titles

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: FAMILY

Disclosure:

As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:

1990 to present Titles

Charlton Titles

Crime/Mystery/Detective Titles

Dell Titles

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: HULK

Disclosure:

As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:

1970's Titles

Classic Illustrated Titles

Romance Comics

Marvel A to L and #'s Titles

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: HEROES

Disclosure:

As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:

Archie Titles

DC A to L and #'s Titles

Marvel Civil War Titles

War Comics

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: REPLACEMENTS

Disclosure:

As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:

Frank Miller Titles

Gold Key Titles

Marvel M to Z Titles

Superman Titles

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: MANGA

Disclosure:

As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:

1980's Titles

DC A to L and #'s Titles

Hulk Titles

Star Wars Titles

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: STRENGTH

Disclosure:

As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:
Batman Titles
Gold Key Titles
Marvel M to Z Titles
Titles with the word GREEN

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: GUARDIAN

Disclosure:
As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

More referred orders!

I was quite surprised (again) when reading an email from Mycomicshop.com informing me I’ve had 5 referred orders in the last 6 months! So far, I have had 4 payments thanks to this affiliation system totaling a nice USD105.88 since I started my comics blog in august 2008. It won’t pay my bills but it sure is handy to purchase some more books!

As I had accumulated some credits from previous times, I’ve finally placed an order and got myself a nice copy of Immortal Iron Fist Omnibus that collects the series that was started by Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction in 2006 (plus some more).

It is 560 pages of pure kung-fu awesomeness that I’ll be receiving very soon and all thanks to you my good readers. So I’d like to thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart… It’s not only the fact that I’m receiving some money out of it, but just to know that some people out there are really reading what I’m posting and it is actually beneficial to some of you in some way. It just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling and makes me somehow proud of this ugly looking (but useful) blog. :)

Mycomicshop.com weekly promotions

This week's promotion over at Mycomicshop.com are:

5% off pre-1981 issues

10% off modern-era issues in the following groups:
1960's Titles
George Perez comics
Marvel M to Z Titles
Romance Titles

How can you get access to the discounted prices? Easy, just click on one of the above links and enter my preferred customer password for this week: ALLAGES

Disclosure:
As I am part of their affiliate program, clicking on one of the above links will help me out raising some credits for my future purchases... Mycomicshop.com will credit 15% of your first order (yes, your first order only, not the following ones) on my account. As a way to thank you, I offer the weekly password so you can enjoy a 10% rebate... So we both win something in the end! Thanks for you support!

Still not sold

One statement in my last post was that I wasn’t really a Superman fan and that last book I read didn’t really made me want to become one… Well, I’m not much of a Spider-man fan either (not that I dislike him, I just didn’t really get into reading his stories) and once again, Spider-man: Blue fails at making me want to become one.

I’ve almost read the entire story (5 out of 6 issues) and honestly, I’m not really sold on that book… It seems Marvel tried the same concept they had over at DC when coming up with Superman for all seasons… Or maybe it was the other way around, whichever came first… So they hired the SAME TEAM who wrote that Superman’s summary, switched characters, and published a Spider-man summary.

Again, while it’s nice to not have to know anything about Spider-man’s universe or even comic books to be able to read and understand what is going on, it gets kind of frustrating to read “summaries”… It’s not particularly well done, and honestly, I don’t know why I feel that way, but it seems Tim Sale can’t draw a “punching” Spider-man… He’s there, facing the villain, and he throws a punch at him, but what should be more “dynamic” has a very static aspect and can’t really feel the impact… Does Spidey hit like a girl? Couple that with a so-so story and you get that book.
So while I still have to finish it, I still think it’s not really worth your money… I mean 5 out of 6 are “meh” so save some cash and some time and get a real book like Kraven’s last hunt if you’re looking for some Spider-man action. I think I should have stayed in my “Wood mood”, maybe I’ll pick up Local next as I’ve heard many good things about that one.

And winter it was…

I finally found time to finish reading Superman for all seasons this week-end. At first, I quite enjoyed reading it as it was telling the story of Clark Kent before he actually became Superman or even moved to Metropolis. I got to know about Lana Lang who was his High School sweet heart and one of the first persons he told his secret (after his foster parents)… It also made me realize that Lois Lane was not his first romance (yeah I’ve never watched Smallville on TV or else I’d probably know that I guess…)

So one of the best things is that you do not need to know anything about Superman, or to have even heard of him before, to actually read the book and understand the story. It is addressed to anyone, fans and non fans included. I, myself, am not really a Superman fan, not because I dislike him but more because I never really got attracted by that character for some reason… But that was fine and I still could read the entire book without having a big question mark over my head after each panel.

On the flip side, the book didn’t make me want to become a Superman fan… The story was OK but didn’t really carry anything spectacular in it… It was just a basic “coming of age” story with all the expected stages: growing up, leaving home, get hurt, go back home to lick your wounds, realize something and leave home again (but stronger)… So yeah, not a bad story, it just doesn’t qualify as “sensational”… Also the art was just OK, I really hated those parts in the city… Too ugly.

So there you go, while it’s still a book I partially enjoyed reading I did not become a Superman diehard fan and was a bit disappointed by Jeph Loeb and Time Sale for once… Just to let you know, my first thought after finishing the book was “luckily I only paid 6 bucks for it…” I probably would have been pretty pissed if I had paid retail price (around USD15). I am now starting Spiderman: Blue which is another Loeb/Sale cooperation and hope it’ll be slightly (if not a lot) better.

Summer and Fall

In my first post about Superman for all seasons I was tentatively guessing the remaining 3 issues’ titles, and I was right for at least the second and third one (haven’t got to the fourth one yet)… So spring is followed by summer and fall… What a surprise!

It basically starts when we left off after the first issue. Clark starts his job at the Daily Planet and his new life as Superman as well. He’s a very lonely guy, though, and he realizes he’s not at home anywhere anymore as Metropolitans see him as a farmer boy from Smallville but he can’t seem to “understand” people in Smallville anymore… It’s kind of an “in between” situation that anyone who’s left “home” has probably struggled with before. It’s a different side of Superman, he’s a super being and all but still has Average Joe’s problems, feelings, dilemmas…

In the third chapter, the story is told from Lois Lane’s point of view while the narrator’s spot is picked up by Lex Luthor in the fourth. I still enjoy the story, although I couldn’t help but notice Tim Sale was probably in his “cubic” period when he drew those books… Maybe I didn’t notice in the first issue as most of it took place in Smallville and there weren’t many skyscrapers around, but he sure took his ruler out his pencil case right now… Remember how your art teacher taught you how to draw perspective in secondary school? Tim remembers, that’s for sure… And he’s applying the technique by the book… Maybe that’s intended but it’s far from mesmerizing to me…

No more yellow mask on the shelves

It is, yet again, the end of an Iron Fist series… It’s funny how it seems to get cancelled all the time. So this month, August 2009, you are able to get the 27th and last issue. It’s a good and a bad thing, actually. It’s bad because his adventures are coming to an end (or he’s taking a break) and it’s good because I’ll finally be able to start buying the TPBs and know there actually is an end to the story.

It’s also good as this series was only planned to last for 6 issues, but Marvel probably got surprised by the rise in popularity and decided to have it run longer… It surely has something to do with Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker working on the title. The first issue came out with an USD2.99 price tag; you can now find it at USD18.00… Good return!

Fraction and Brubaker did not actually work on the 27 issues, and lot of people dropped the series when they left. But I’ve read many who regretted it and hopped in again as the series was still good after the new team took over. Seems to me like a good sign, I’ll probably buy the collected issues once the last TPB comes out.

Morning read

I woke up a bit late this morning, a bit too late to have my morning gaming session like I usually do. So instead logging on to my favourite game, I picked up a book from my comics collection… I was not sure what to read exactly, I was on a lengthy Brian Wood diet and thought maybe I should give somebody else a shot (although I still have to start Local).

My hand finally found its way to one of many Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s collaboration I had yet to read: Superman for all seasons

While at first I found the art a bit simplistic, I quickly found back Sale’s style and attention to all the little details he likes to put in his backgrounds. It’s very different than what he did on all the Batman books I read so far, but somehow similar in some ways…

So far the story is OK. It starts in Smallville just when Clark Kent is about to graduate. I’ve only read the first chapter (Spring) and am about to start the second one (Summer)… As it’s a 4 part story, I could bet the 3rd and 4th chapters will be Autumn (or maybe Fall) and Winter. Now I kind of know why the title is Superman for all seasons.

I think the first chapter starts of the book pretty nicely, I like the way Clark’s father is the narrator of the story and also seeing Clark evolving from a teenage kid to Superman, actually discovering more and more of his powers and realizing he should use them for the good of mankind. I know this “Epiphany” thing is such a cliché to some, but it works on me… I know I’m an easy prey and vultures will feast on my flesh, alright…

Only one thing bothered me in this issue… At some point, some kid is chasing a kitty on the edge of a building (you know, those edges that look like they’re actual sidewalks that go around a building?)… All kids do that right? Anyway, so the kid is chasing the kitty and he suddenly trips or something and starts falling off the building. Of course, Superman flies in, saves the kid from certain death, and takes him down to safety… back on the building’s edge!!! Come on, Superman, that’s a big “no-no” to you on the safety side…

Still in a Wood Mood

One more down, some more to go… After finishing Demo’s last story, I decided to start reading Fight for tomorrow which happens to be yet another Brian Wood’s story. It’s funny, I thought I’d be growing tired of Brian Wood’s work after reading his 4 other books but I am not… It must be because of 2 things, the first one is they’re usually quite different stories that don’t give me a “Déjà vu” feeling when reading them, and the second one must be because he’s just a good writer/artist.

I have not purchased Fight for tomorrow in a trader paperback format but bought all the single issues. Honestly, the story isn’t super original, but the way it’s written kept me wanting to read more after finishing every issue. I also liked the way it’s set in the Asian community of New York. I don’t live there and do not know if they have those small Buddhist temples like in the one in the book but it felt quite believable.

The art was nice as well, the fighting scenes were fun to read, I enjoyed the way they were sketched, the smudgy edges after receiving or giving punches added something to them… Only one thing, I somehow got some trouble recognizing the main character sometimes… His face just kept changing appearances and I’m not sure it was because of the bashing he’s getting all along that story…

Anyway, all in all, this book is not going to change the way you think about comic books, but it was entertaining enough to have me read it in one go and still enjoyed it even I was left with a “yeah I saw that coming from far away” feeling. Still pretty good, just not revolutionary, which is actually nice sometimes.

Am I still reading?

The answer is yes, only it is at a very slow pace… As a matter of fact, I joined a new guild in WoW and have been enjoying partying with them a lot. We do all kinds of stuff; even more since patch 3.2 went live… We burst through heroics again to get all those emblems of conquest, we’re farming Trial of the Champion in both normal and heroic modes to get some sweet new gear… Tons of fun…

So yeah, I’ve been pretty busy in my virtual world but am still reading some comics and I found the perfect book that fits nicely for these busy gaming times. After finishing Kraven’s Last Hunt, I picked up Brian Wood’s Demo from my shelf and am pretty happy I did. Demo consists in a collection of 12 stories that have nothing to do with each other, and as they’re not related at all, it enables to you read one issue at a time without worrying about how long will pass before you manage to read the next one… So after each story, you can decide to read the next one right after or just let the book sit there for a week, which, I admit, I’ve been doing… So anyway, if you’re being caught up with life recently, this book is for you. You’ll be able to stay in touch with the world of comics without having to spend too much time (in one chunk that is) to do so.

I think Brian Wood must have had loads of fun working on that book as he got to play around with different stories that touch a plethora of topics which I, by now, know he likes bringing up in his books, from war to relationships or discrimination, family, jobs… Different aspects of society are being depicted and you should get touched by AT LEAST one of those stories and the fact that they begin and end in a single issue makes the message they carry even stronger in my opinion.

This is probably one of the books you MUST own, so drop everything you’re doing and order your copy now!

Changed my mind

In my last post I mentioned I would go on reading some of Wood’s work, but when I went back to my shelves to make my choice, I somehow got more attracted in picking up Kraven’s Last Hunt that I had sitting (or are books standing?) there for a while.

I’ve got like 2 Spider-man stories in my humble collection, so you can’t really call me a Spidey fan… I haven’t read Spider-man: Blue yet, and it’s been collecting dust for about as long as the book I’m mentioning now…

DeMatteis did an amazing job writing the story. I’ve read the trade paperback and there’s a small introduction of the book by DeMatteis who explains how he got to write it, how it all came together and so on… And it took a WHILE so I’m pretty happy for him the result was that good (he kept pushing the same story from publisher to publisher for a few years…). The art was also amazing, especially considering it was drawn during the mid 80’s… Way to go Mike Zeck! But they sometimes re-edit the books when collecting all the issues into a single format, so keep in mind I read the trade.

So you guessed it, I really had a good time reading it, the story was amazing, the art was amazing, so I’m probably a Spider-man fan now, right? Well, not really… Although this is a Spider-man book, I felt the story was more about Kraven himself, and he really is amazing in my opinion. So basically, after reading Kraven’s Last Hunt, I feel more like reading about Kraven.

Basically, you have to own that book, especially if you get it for as good as a deal as I got: only USD4.32! Oh, I’d also like to make you note that was because I bought a copy that was graded “Very Good” at Mycomicshop.com… It was the first time (I usually buy NM) so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the book was almost as good as brand new… Only a tiny little tear at the top of the dust jacket was noticeable, but apart from that nothing was wrong with the book. I’ll shop there again!

For questions about comic books grading, you can refer to my previous post about this topic.