Batman Ego and Other Catwoman Tails

I've been wanting to read "Ego" by Darwyn Cooke for a bit and decided to give it a go as a change of pace from Bronze Age Conan stories.

Also "Ego" was good I preferred "Selena's Big Score" which was also included in the collection. That led me to continue reading Catwoman stories and I've now finished Vol 2 of Catwoman by Ed Brubaker.

Although Darwyn Cooke is no longer on art, these were still great stories and just proves what a fantastic writer Brubaker is.

Two new hardbacks

Harley Quinn Vol 5. The next volume (due in Feb 17) is the last before the DC Rebirth. Although I enjoy this series, shelf space might mean that Vol 6 is a good place to stop.

The Fade Out is the deluxe (or omnibus) edition. A very nice package and I'm pleased I've waited for this format.

Various new purchases over the last few weeks

Two DC collections to start with.

I've said before how much I like Darwyn Cooke's art and with his sad passing it's a shame we won't get any more. So I have to try and collect as much of his existing stuff as I can and this is a lovely oversized volume collecting a great deal of his DC stuff. I will still have to get "Batman: Ego" but then I have it all.

I'm also going to try out the New Teen Titans by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. This series is often mentioned or compared to the X-Men and following some recent posts on Bronze Age Babies I thought this was a good time to try the stuff out.

Unfortunately the Omnibus editions are sold out  but the series of trades collecting 8 or so issues in each are still being published with vol 6 due early next year. I'm going to start vol 1 and decide if I'll order some more.

Velvet Vol 3 is the concluding vol by Brubaker and Epting. I'll read all 3 together very soon.

Nice shiney new hardcover collections - Waid and Brubaker

Just received:

The fifth and final volume in the nice oversized edition reprinting Mark Waid's recent Daredevil run.

The weighty Gotham Central Omnibus by Brubaker and Greg Rucka. It needs more than one pic to to the size of this justice.

Two lovely looking collections for my shelf and I'm sure they will be nice to read too when I get the time.

Fatale

I've just read all five volumes of the Fatale series.

Another Brubaker noir series. He does them all the time but they are still worth reading.

This is an excellent example of my patience with trades these days. I bought the first volume in August 2012 and the last in Oct 2014. Waiting to read them so close together helped me enjoy the story much more.

Still buying Brubaker material with an Omnibus on the way,,,,

Criminal 10th Anniversary Issue - Deadly Hands!

I can't believe it's been over a year since I bought the last Criminal special edition which was also in the imitation magazine format. This one is packaged like the old "Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu".

Although these stories will be collected in trade later this year, I really wanted them in this magazine format as it makes them a bit special.

More trade collections added - Atomic Robo and Brubaker's Batman

More trade collections have just arrived.

Very pleased to have another Atomic Robo Omnibus. I think there needs to be one more and we'll be up-to-date but I've not seen that solicited as yet.

And I know that I have plenty of Brubaker collections to read,

There is Catwoman, Fatale, Velvet and Criminal and I also have a massive Gotham Central Omnibus on pre-order. I'm waiting for a deluxe edition of "The Fade Out" to be published before I purchase that. So lots to read and that's great because he's a great writer.

Velvet

Vol 1

Vol 2

I bought Volume 2 of Velvet by Brubaker and Epting last week and I've just realised when drafting this post that I didn't note that I got Vol 1 back in August 2014. How remiss of me!

Anyway more Brubaker goodness to read at some point but Fatale and probably his Catwoman run need to be read first.

Trip to Forbidden Planet

Well for a change I actually bought some stuff from Forbidden Planet. Including two single comics although the "Criminal" magazine (£4.95) is a special edition that I don't think they can duplicate in a trade format because it's done in the style of the old Marvel magazines from the 70s. It looks great and of course I want it as it's by Brubaker and Phillips.

I play Munchkin and so I was curious to see what the comic (£3.15) was like. It took 10 mins to read and was OK.

The Wicked and Divine trade was only £7.50 which compares well to the price of the singles above doesn't it! That's a very similar price to what it is online. I've been wanting to try Gillen and McKelvie's work for a bit so this looks like the right time.

New She-Hulk and Fatale Conclusion

New purchases!

I'm still keeping to my resolution to keep off Marvel for the year but Fatale will be read soon. Just finishing some Batman trades!

Sleeper Omnibus

So I've raced though this 720 page volume in about a week or so. It's typical Brubaker/ Phillips fayre - i.e. violent, sexy and exciting. The plot has various twists and turns but you always feel Brubaker is in control and knows where he's going.

This was apparently their first collaboration back in 2004. It won't be long before I'm going to read their latest when the final volume of Fatale is released in October.

Lots of New Purchases

Had a bit of a splurge recently.

Lots to read here - but my wish list is greatly reduced!

Two More Collected Editions

I've heard that Fatale will finish with issue 24 so I reckon I'll read them in one sitting.

Daredevil is another of those nice oversized collections reprinting 12 issues or so. Nice to have but in my Marvel free year, this one will have to wait.

Saga, Fantastic Faux and Fatale - three new trades

All these arrived in one parcel today and are now added to the reading list. Looking forward to them all.

Reading progress looks slow at the moment as I'm just under halfway though a Star Wars novel and I'm also reading the rules for the Star Wars: Edge of the Empire beginner game.

Catwoman Vol. 2 by Brubaker

A new purchase this week at a bargain price of £12.15 from Amazon.

It won't be too long till I read this as I remember enjoying Vol. 1.

Sleeper Omnibus

My one purchase this week is this massive 720 page hardback collection reprinting all the Sleeper series written by Ed Brubaker and illustrated by Sean Phillips.

As I'm a big fan of their work on Criminal and Incognito (yet to read Fatale but I have two volumes so far) I was prepared to pay £40 for this collection.

More Trades this week

It almost feels like a quiet week with me slowly progressing though my book but I did receive 2 more trade collections.

Fatale Vol 2 - although I haven't read vol 1 yet I know it will be good as Brubaker and Phillips are consistantly good.

Iron Man Vol 10 is the penultimate hardcover in Matt Fractions run. So just the last one to get. After that run ends I'm stopping collecting Iron Man and will switch to Fraction's new title "Hawkeye".

New Trades: Fatale and Morning Glories

Lots of new purchases at the moment - as I'm on leave and my credit card has just "clicked over".

Fatale was a no-brainer considering how much I've enjoyed Brubaker and Phillips's work so far.

Also got Vol 3 of Morning Glories and I'll be reading all three trades next. Despite the fact that I only read vol 1 a few months ago.

Criminal by Brubaker and Phillips

This week I've read two Criminal trades. Vol 5 The Sinners and Vol 6. The Last of the Innocent.

Really enjoyed both. The Criminal series of books has been consistantly good. Now looking forward to "Fatale " which is due out mid-July.

Next to read: Robin Hobb "Fools Fate"

This weeks reading

I've read a few more Incredible Hulks from 1975. Written by Len Wein they are fairly typical Hulk stories from this period. Herb Trimpe on the art is inking himself though and it's not a good look. Herb needs a strong inker in my opinion and the poor art is quite distracting at times.

I've also read Catwoman Vol 1 by Darwyn Cooke and Ed Brubaker. I've had to sit around in hospital for a few hours a couple of times in the last week and this certainly helped pass the time. I actually think this is my first exposure to Cooke's work and I was mightly impressed. Brubaker takes over the writing for the 2nd half of the book and, whilst probably not as strong as his Captain America or Criminal work, the crime stories were certainly entertaining.

Going to push on with some more Hulks this Bank Holiday weekend. I'm aiming to get to issue 200 before switching to something different again.