Graphic Novel Reading Group discussion
Archives
>
What are the best licensed comics stories?
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Allen
(last edited Nov 27, 2013 02:13PM)
(new)
Nov 27, 2013 11:19AM
I have never been much of a fan of licensed comics - Buffy, Star Wars, Aliens, "official" film adaptations, PowderPuff Girls, Rom Spaceknight - but I wondered recently what a "best ten" list might look like. How about Miller's Robocop? Tales of The Matrix? Micronauts? Muppets? Adventure Time? Aliens? I wouldn't include the Disney comics unless you're talking about The Incredibles series or something, but for the sake of argument, ongoing core universe characters aren't in the running. Do the stories improve the further you get from the licensed characters (like Star Wars Universe stuff) or the closer you are (like Buffy)? Do likenesses to actors count? What rises above the rest?
reply
|
flag
*
Nobody has a single licensed comic they want to talk about? There are so many.
I used to love the Micronauts, but for the life of me, I can`t even remember a single story-line.I guess you could say Conan is a licensed comic, but that'd be pretty much stretching it, in my opinion.
Paul wrote: "I used to love the Micronauts, but for the life of me, I can`t even remember a single story-line.I guess you could say Conan is a licensed comic, but that'd be pretty much stretching it, in my op..."
I don't know. What was he first, a character of dime novels or series radio or something? I don't know the history.
I guess adaptations of characters from those mediums into comics are a whole different category. A mini-genre. Chaykin's two The Shadow series are supposed to be pretty good, as I've heard of them.
No particular insight to provide for the moment, but I recently heard about a new Samurai Jack comicbook out on IDW (havent found a copy to read it yet though). So those of you who enjoyed Tartakovsky's iconic 'Lone wolf & cub'~sqe series might want to chek it out
Allen wrote: "Paul wrote: "I guess you could say Conan is a licensed comic, but that'd be pretty much stretching it, in my op..."I don't know. What was he first, a character of dime novels or series radio or something? I don't know the history..."
Conan was first published starting in 1932 in the pages of Weird Tales. It was a big hit back then.
Scott wrote: "I loved Marvel's Micronauts and still remember most of the issues I read. But then I also loved Rom."What really impressed my "then" Young mind was the great artwork in these comics.
The first series of the Micronauts ran from January 1979 to August 1984 and included 59 issues and two Annuals. The series was written by Bill Mantlo and featured art by Michael Golden, Howard Chaykin, Pat Broderick, Gil Kane, Butch Guice and others»
Scott wrote: "Andy Helfer's Shadow with Bill Sienkiewicz and Kyle Baker from the 80s was very good."Of course, how could I have forgotten the many comic book itterations of the Shadow.
These days they are being produced by DYNAMITE Comics and have been either pretty good, or really, really bad on both the artwork and the stories.
Back then I used to read then pass my comics on to my cousins and friends, so sadly, those comics have long since dissapeared.
I had the Micronauts series practically memorized. Baron Karza's back! Apparently, Mantlo was a big Socialist or something and patterned his fictional Microverse accordingly. Plus, they were all teeny-tiny on Earth. What's not to love?
The current series by Brian Wood simply titled, "Star Wars", is great. I haven't ready any other Star Wars comics (or much of any licensed comics), so I can't comment on how it compares to others, but I've read several reviewers say it is shaping up to be one of the best Star Wars comics series.It is the original series characters, and set in between episodes IV and V.
Check it out. I'm really enjoying it.
I actually really enjoy the Buffy comics but I think that's because Whedon wanted it and wanted to influence it and it wasn't just a case of 'we're making so much money from this show/film so let's give some artist and writer a comic to write' it was a labour of love and a continuance of the show.I've got Star Wars waiting to be read, I'm not even sure which ones i think I have a few.
Does anyone think The True Live of the Fabulous Killjoys would count under this? It's a grey area that's for sure but it it is continuing the story that Gerard Way and the rest of MCR were trying to tell with their last album.
The Dead Space series based on the video game was a good series of three books. A horror/sci-fi type story the series created it's own world and was relevant to the video game although the two properties were exclusive.
I've enjoyed the Serenity (Firefly) comics, and the Orphan Black tie-in "Helsinki" was really good. I enjoyed the Buffy and Angel comics for a while, but then got bored with them.
Hands down, Micronauts. Previous attempts to reboot it have been so-so, but the new IDW one is pretty good. Nothing on the original Mantlo run. He took toys with no character backgrounds or mythology attached and created a space epic.
I'd have to agree with Scott. The Star Wars ongoing is superb, and the Darth Vader monthly is also worth taking a look at. The other tie-ins were ok (Leia, Lando, Chewbacca, Han), but SW and Vader are pretty amazing.
Star Wars and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hands down. They are two of the most consistently good publish comics being publish to date.
Parker series by Darwyn Cooke. For people, who like gritty crime stories.
Phil wrote: "I'd have to agree with Scott. The Star Wars ongoing is superb, and the Darth Vader monthly is also worth taking a look at. The other tie-ins were ok (Leia, Lando, Chewbacca, Han), but SW and Vader ..."Vader has been reliably good. I especially like Triple Zero and BT-One. They always make me laugh.
