From the Library (things I read that I don't think I'd buy)

[troyfreund]

Final Crisis HC....underwhelming....
Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 3....the guy really was amazing and deserves all the praise he receives.

just finished the first story-arc in "American Flagg: The Definitive Collection".  OK, Chaykin, can seem hit-or-miss for me, and generally I have more appreciation than admiration for his work, but this is pretty amazing, prescient stuff going on here.  Check this quote from "Hard Times", around 1983:  "The American spirit -- the honest, openhanded driving force of solidarity-- has been castrated.  Betrayed by the banks..by big business..by slimy fat cats who use patriotism like a tart uses cheap perfume..."  Geesh, that's friggin' beautiful.  How timely is that action?

[Neil Kapit]

I'm actually doing a graduate-level seminar paper on Final Crisis ( for a Postmodern Melodramatic Literature course ), so I do have quite a bit of appreciation for it. I can understand, however, why Morrison's notorious tendencies towards convoluted storytelling might not be best for a line-spanning superhero crossover story.

[Herr Mike]

American Flagg was pretty great.

[troyfreund]

Yeah, "Flagg" was excellent.  I love how every woman in H Chaykin's worlds wear stockings and garter belts...sigh.   Anyway, fetishes aside, Flagg was a pretty amazing book.  I know I wouldn't have appreciated it 20 years ago, so I'm really glad they reprinted it. 

[-eric-]

I really enjoyed American Flagg! but did anyone else notice how luthor ironheart (tm) looked like John Tesh?

[troyfreund]

heh-heh, Tesh = Ironheart---hadn't thought of it that way before.  Good observation.

Also recently read the Messner-Loeb/Keith classic "Epicurus the Sage".  Anyone else read this?  A very neat, unique book expounding on mythology, history and philosophy all at the same time.  I definitely enjoyed that.

[Brindrod]

American Flagg was pretty great.

I was tempted to pick up the s/n HC but after reading his Squadron Supreme, I was astonished as to how this guy can still find work.

[troyfreund]

Just finished reading the first four volumes of The Invisibles--not bad, (not great--for me anyway), but not bad.  Anyone else do some library reading lately?  
Oh yeah, also read Vertigo's "The Nobody".  meh.

Here's some really cool news for anyone in the Milwaukee, WI area--the Washington Park Library is starting a "graphic novel reading club"!  First reading is Ex Machina Vol. 1  I put up the info at my haiku-blog:  http://troyfreund.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/non-haiku-but-great-idea/

[troyfreund]

Wow, I haven't posted in this thread in AGES, but am finally back to my library-readings!  Just stopped by today and they've gotten a whole bunch of new trades that I can't wait to read:
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man Vol. 1
Ultimate X-Men Vol 18: Apocalypse
X-Men Forever Vol 1: Picking Up Where We Left Of
Spiderman: Noir
The Umbrella Academy: Dallas

Some very exciting reading ahead!

[BatgirlLibrarian]

I've been reading:
Gravel, which sort of appeals to the part of me that got hooked on Books of Magic.
No Hero by Ellis--meh.
Love and Rockets
Strangers in Paradise