Sunday, 29 January 2017

Marvel Star Wars: Read some and bought some more



I decided to read some more of Marvel's Star Wars comics before continuing with the NTT and these were very good, especially Vader down which was a brilliantly executed story and crossover.
I'd said ages ago that I'd see what Marvel's comics were like before continuing to buy any and, I'm pleased to report, they are worth buying.

So I picked-up Vader Vol 4 which is the last one.


Sunday, 22 January 2017

The Dark Knight Returns (slipcase edition)

So I've just finished reading this new edition of the DKR. I'd already read my trade a number of times but it is one of my favourite and I wanted it in hardback. This edition has each individual comic in hardback and all collected in a nice slipcase.

A bit extravagant but well worth it. I still love it.

Monday, 16 January 2017

Added to my Collection - One more "Two-In-One"


So I picked-up Two-In-One #18 off Ebay for £2.50 incl P&P.

It was advertised at VFN+ but it's really aVFN- at a push. Still a reasonable price and this means I just want #13 to complete the run that I want to collect.

The grade of this comic didn't bother me as much as the grade of Avengers #166 which I was upgrading from a FN copy to this
Again it's not bad, but it's not VFN+ as advertised. The main issue is the lack of cover gloss and that's not something you can really pick-up from a scan. If I'd paid more I would have complained but in the end it's a better copy than I had previously. But I'll probably not order from captainbeano again (not that I have many back-issues that I want).

Sunday, 8 January 2017

Summary of 2016



So it's time for me to add up just how much I've bought over the year and compare it to how much I've read. I actually started this process in 2012 in a (vain) attempt to try to get a balance. So far I've failed every year but the gap has been closing, Have I done better this year?

But before I make the lists, I wanted to record that I've found this year to be a hard one. Losing both parents six weeks apart and then also friends/ celebs together with terrible election results and awful football performances have just made this year a year of bad news.

However, two great holidays and some really good comics, games and movies have helped me through. Star Wars Rogue One and the new Marvel comics have been very good. I've got into Doctor Strange and enjoyed that movie and I'm finally getting to read some New Teen Titans which is generally regarded as a classic Bronze Age comic series. My collections of Cap, Daredevil and Thor are nearly complete which the purchase of some excellent collections. So it's been a good year for my hobbies.

So what did I buy in 2016

Darth Vader vol 2
Giant-size Spider-man 1
Giant-size Spider-man 3
Daredevil 155
Iron Man 90
X-Men annual #7
Star Wars Vol 2
Daredevil mark Waid Vol 4
Batman Brubaker 1
atomic Robo omnibus 2
Superior foes of Spider-man
Harley Quinn
Harley & Ivy
Miracleman Book 4
Harley Quinn and Power-girl
Thor Masterworks 13
Thor masterworks 14
Daredevil masterworks 9
Vader down
Starfire
Criminal Deadly Hands
Gotham Central omnibus
Daredevil mark Waid Vol 5
Black Science 4
Thor Masterworks 9
Thor Masterworks 15
Tales of the Batman Alan Brennet
All New Powers
Cap masterworks 8
Damage Control
Harley Quinn 4
Saga vol 6
Daredevil Masterworks 4
Atomic Robo omnibus 3
Cap & Batman
NTT vols 1-5
Velvet Vol 3
Graphic Ink Darwyn Cooke
The Fade Out Omnibus
Harley Quinn 5
MTIO 14 & 15
Edena
Doc Strange Epic Collection
DKR slipcase edition
Thor Epic Collection Titans Clash
Rat Queens vol 2
DKR prelude
Star Wars Vol 3

That equates to 25 trades, 6 masterworks, 2 Epic Collections, 10 Omnibus/ over-size collections and 8 actual comics.



I've actually read;

Astrix and the Missing Scroll
Rat Queens 1
Star Wars vol 1
Star Wars vol 2
Superior foes
of Spider-man Omnibus
Fatale vols 1-5

Broken Homes
Foxglove Summer
Railway Adventure
Darth Vader vol 1
Darth Vader vol 2
Peter Kay Sound of Laughter
Batman/ Cap
Doc Strange masterworks
Giant-size Superheroes
Giant-size Spider-man 1
New Teen Titans Vol 1
Giant-size Spider-man 2
Giant-size Spider-man 3
New Teen Titans Vol 2
Giant-size Spider-man 4
Giant-size Spider-man 5
Edena
New Teen Titans Vol 3
DKR prelude

Which equates 15 trades, 1 masterworks, 0 Epic Collections, 1 Omnibus/ over-size collections and 5 actual comics. Plus 3 books and 5 films. So my "To read" pile is still getting bigger.

However, my wants list is smaller. There are still new Harley Quinn collections to buy and there will be the odd Epic Collection which fits into my collection neatly ( Hulk, Thor and Daredevil etc.) but I really do think this year I will tip the balance in my favour.

We shall see.

Here's to a much improved 2017 and some more great comics.