What are you reading right now? (January 2017)

[Kate]

It's a new year of comics! What are you enjoying reading right now? What are you looking forward to this year?

[Kate]

Stephen wrote: "Currently i'm in love with Invincible one of the best superhero books out there. And i'm really looking forward to the fifth volume of Deadly Class, sadly it comes out in march."

I loved Invincible, Vol. 1: Family Matters! Reading more of the series is definitely on my to-do list for 2017.

[Kate]

I'm really looking forward to the new Batwoman series starting this February. I also really hope Black Magick and Wytches come back this year. Please don't take that last sentence out of context...

[Simon]

I started reading Dark Night: A True Batman Story yesterday and obviously I'll get started reading Harrow County asap:)

I like Dark Night a lot, since it is something very different (at least up until now).
I have no idea what Harrow County is about...so I'm really looking forward to reading it:)

[Simon]

Stephen wrote: "is Black Magick any good ? I don't really like Rucka's writing."

Haven't read to much of Rucka, but Lazarus is one of the most interesting (and in some points prophetic) story arcs I read in the last couple of years:)

[Ryan Lowery]

I just finished Starve, Volume 1. Arguably, a bizarre premise but, for some reason, I really dug this book. You can read my review here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kate]

Stephen wrote: "No i won't hahah, is Black Magick any good ? I don't really like Rucka's writing."

I really enjoyed Black Magick Vol. 1, but I also usually enjoy Rucka, so we may not have the same tastes.

[Kate]

Simon wrote: "Haven't read to much of Rucka, but Lazarus is one of the most interesting (and in some points prophetic) story arcs I read in the last couple of years:)"

I completely agree. I recommend Lazarus, Vol. 1: Family to people all the time.

[Kate]

My first read of the year was Love Is Love, the comic anthology to benefit the Pulse nightclub victims and their families. All of the entries are only one or two pages, and like any anthology, some are better than others. The majority are very good though, and a few are incredible. Definitely worth the $10 price tag, and all the proceeds go to the charity. If you weren't able to get it when it came out, I recommend picking up the next printing which comes out this month.

NPR did a nice piece about it that you can read here.

[Mike, Host & Producer of IRCB!]

I am so behind on my weekly books, but I did catch up on Uncanny X-Men which continues to be okay at best. I also read Goldie Vance #1 which was a fun issue. Not a lot of substance to it, but it put a smile on my face.

[Ryan Lowery]

Just finished Jacked TP Vol 1. Solid 4/5. You can check out my review here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Wayland]

This week's haul:

Hawkeye 2 (Kate Bishop flavor)
US Avengers 1
Aquaman 14
Sam Wilson, Captain America 17
The Unstoppable Wasp 1 (which was excellent)
Champions 4
DC Bombshells 21
Green Arrow 14
Harley Quinn 11
Moon Knight 10
Nightwing 12
Spider-Man 2099 19
Atom 1
Unworthy Thor 3 (the original blond guy)

[Mike, Host & Producer of IRCB!]

Ryan wrote: "Just finished Jacked TP Vol 1. Solid 4/5. You can check out my review here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Man, I always saw that comic and was very uncertain of what it was about. I might have to check it out after reading your review. It definitely is a different premise than I thought it was! haha

[Mike, Host & Producer of IRCB!]

Wayland wrote: "This week's haul:

Hawkeye 2 (Kate Bishop flavor)
US Avengers 1
Aquaman 14
Sam Wilson, Captain America 17
The Unstoppable Wasp 1 (which was excellent)
Champions 4
DC Bombshells 21
Green Arrow 14
Ha..."

How is Champions going? I read #1, but I wasn't sure if I should wait for the trade... It felt very Young Avengers, Volume 1: Sidekicks but more "modern and hip."

[Wayland]

Champions is ok. Not great, but ok. I don't know why they are feeling the need to publish continually younger heroes, when everyone I see in my comic ship tends towards 30 or older. Unless that's just a regional fluke...

Anyway, it's a decent book. Honestly, I'm mostly reading it because I really like Ms. Marvel, but the rest of the team is ok.

[Jen]

Wayland wrote: "Champions is ok. Not great, but ok. I don't know why they are feeling the need to publish continually younger heroes, when everyone I see in my comic ship tends towards 30 or older. Unless that's j..."

I haven't started it, but that is most of my motivation to get it too - love Ms. Marvel!

[Wayland]

Jen, if you like Ms. Marvel, check out Wasp 1. Not only is Ms. Marvel in it, but there's a similar feel to it. I thought it was a great read and a lot of fun.

[Ryan Lowery]

Letter 44, Volume 1: Escape Velocity - Wow, what a nice surprise. I grabbed this one, somewhat randomly, from the library. Super fun read! (4.5/5.0)

[Mike, Host & Producer of IRCB!]

Finally sat down to read the Night of the Monster Men crossover event (Batman #7-8, Nightwing 5-6, Detective Comics #941-942) and found it pretty suspenseful and exciting until the very end. The ending of the story in Detective Comics #942 was incredibly lackluster (I will likely go into this further on the show this week with full spoilers).

Of course, this now means I can catch up on Batman, which will be nice.

[Axel]

I am currently rereading The Ambassador of Shadows and trying to get through The Island of Tohu-Bohu.
As much French vocabulary as I have lost since graduation, the artwork makes up for it.

For a new years wish I'm hoping that The City of a Thousand Planets will help to boost the Philemon movie.

[Kate]

Ryan wrote: "Letter 44, Volume 1: Escape Velocity - Wow, what a nice surprise. I grabbed this one, somewhat randomly, from the library. Super fun read! (4.5/5.0)"

I read the premise after seeing your post here and have added it to my to-read list because it sounds right up my ally. Thanks for the heads up!

[Kate]

Mike wrote: "Finally sat down to read the Night of the Monster Men crossover event (Batman #7-8, Nightwing 5-6, Detective Comics #941-942) and found it pretty suspenseful and exciting until the very end. The en..."

I agree, and I liked the next arc more (though some issues of it are a lot stronger than others).

[Kate]

Axel wrote: "I am currently rereading The Ambassador of Shadows and trying to get through The Island of Tohu-Bohu.
As much French vocabulary as I have lost since graduation, the artwork makes up for it.

For a ..."

"The City of a Thousand Planets" sounds really cool!

[Kate]

This week I'm picking up:
- Green Valley #4
- God Country #1
- Rocket Raccoon #2
- Black Panther Book 2: Nation Under Our Feet (TPB)

I'll be honest, I feel a little silly for reading Rocket Raccoon, but everything else on my pull is more meaty, and sometimes you need fluff reads to unwind with. Recently, Rocket's jaded world view has been really resonating with me, so this series is replacing the equally fluffy Squirrel Girl on my list, at least for now.

I've posted more about this week's pull on the I Read Comic Books website. Long story short, Green Valley keeps getting better, and I highly recommend it!

[Crumpets&Arsenic]

Kate wrote: "I'm really looking forward to the new Batwoman series starting this February. I also really hope Black Magick and Wytches come back this year. Please don't take that last sentence out of context..."
I had no idea a new Batwoman series is kicking off next month. That's awesome. :)

As for what I'm currently reading, this weekend I finished my first read of the new year, Birthright, Vol. 1: Homecoming. I really liked it. It :) It takes the "kid goes to another world" story and adds some surprises into the mix. I'd definitely check out the next volume.

[Simon]

I'm about to re-read Spawn: Blood Feud...read it 'bout 15 years ago and loved it, so I'm excited to see if I still hold it at such high regards after such a long time...after all, taste can change:)

Afterwards I want to start Alex & Ada. Heard good things about that...

[Ryan Lowery]

Just finished A.D. After Death, Book One. Weird/good read. Looking forward to grabbing A.D.: After Death #2.

[Mike, Host & Producer of IRCB!]

Oh boy, this week is a big one: TWPL - Mike.

Otherwise, I did read Killing and Dying: Stories this week, which was very sad, but full of beautifully crafted stories. Tomine's art is perfect and succinct. I highly recommend it. The hardcover copy I have is gorgeous.

[Ryan Lowery]

Anyone else following Moonshine (Azzarello/Risso)?

[Wayland]

This week's haul:

Batgirl & Birds of Prey 6
Detective 948 (yet another origin of Batwoman)
Green Hornet: Reign of the Demon 2
Steve Rogers, Captain America 9 (the trial of Maria Hill)
Jessica Jones 4 (in which much is revealed and I want to smack Misty Knight)
Mighty Thor 15 (the Imperial Guard invade Asgard!)
Ms. Marvel 14
Power Man & Iron Fist 12
Red Sonja 1 (if she can make it there...)
Titans 7 (guest starring Superman)
Suicide Squad 9 (flashback story)
Occupy Avengers 3 (guest starring Nighthawk)

[Kate]

Ryan wrote: "Anyone else following Moonshine (Azzarello/Risso)?"

I hadn't even heard of it. Is it good? I liked Azzarello's Wonder Woman run.

[Ryan Lowery]

Kate wrote: "Ryan wrote: "Anyone else following Moonshine (Azzarello/Risso)?"

I hadn't even heard of it. Is it good? I liked Azzarello's Wonder Woman run."

It's a good one! I think they are up to issue #3. It's a bit crime noir and a bit monster movie. Highly recommended!

[Mike, Host & Producer of IRCB!]

Jamie wrote: "Broke my own Marvel continuity rule and jumped ahead to Matt Fraction's Hawkeye. Enjoying it but will take a quick detour to read Harrow County, Volume 1: Countless Haints in time f..."

BUT YOU MUST FINISH THAT HAWKEYE RUN! IT'S FANTASTIC!

[Kate]

Ryan wrote: "It's a good one! I think they are up to issue #3. It's a bit crime noir and a bit monster movie. Highly recommended! ."

That sounds great! I will look for it when it comes to trade. Thanks for the heads up :)

[Kate]

Mike wrote: "BUT YOU MUST FINISH THAT HAWKEYE RUN! IT'S FANTASTIC! "

I second this. Reading Fraction's Hawkeye run back to back is one of life's greatest pleasures.

[Wayland]

This week's pull:

Doctor Who 9 (ninth/Rose/Jack
Green Arrow 15
Aquaman 15
Black Widow 10 (guest starring Winter Soldier)
Sam Wilson, Captain America 18 (Rage in a cage...)
Harley Quinn 12
Nightwing 13
Squadron Supreme 15 (final issue)
Invincible Iron Man 3 (guest starring Pepper Potts)
US Avengers 2
Ray 1 (Rebirth/reboot)

[Phil]

This week I read Batgirl Vol. 2: To the Death, Revival, Vol. 2: Live Like You Mean It, Divinity, and Copperhead, Vol. 1. I didn't care for this volume of Batgirl, but the other three books were great.

Up next I have Alex + Ada, Vol. 2 and Alex + Ada, Vol. 3. I hope they are as good as the first one.

[Mike, Host & Producer of IRCB!]

Sat down and re-read Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, Volume 1 for another book club (at comiXology!) and forgot that I really like the world this story starts to build. It's hard to get into, but after issue #3 (end of the TPB) you get nice and hooked on the characters. I look forward to reading the rest of the series (on comiXology Unlimited).

I also read SLAM! #3 and Curse Words #1. If you're not reading SLAM! you should fix that. That book is full of awesome roller derby awesomeness and friendship. And Curse Words is a whole lot of weirdness for an opener issue, but I'll keep reading because Ryan Browne's art is fantastic.

I ordered a whole bunch of Fantagraphics books today because they were running an Inauguration Day sale (20% off with 10% donated to Planned Parenthood):

* Celebrated Summer
* Cosplayers
* Doctors
* Patience
* Saint Cole
* The Hypo: The Melancholic Young Lincoln
* The Longest Day of the Future

So look forward to me talking about ALL of those in the near future on the show (and here).

[Kate]

Mike wrote: "I ordered a whole bunch of Fantagraphics books today because they were running an Inauguration Day sale (20% off with 10% donated to Planned Parenthood):"

That's awesome!!! I have wanted to read Patience ever since Paul talked about it on the show.

[Kate]

I've been catching up on my slight black log. Just finished:
- Green Valley #4
- Black Widow #8-10
- Faith #7

I am so lost in Black Widow right now. It's entirely possible I'm just forgetting things that happened in past issues, but how did Nick Fury become a shackled moon wizard? And what's going on with Bucky?

[Wayland]

I believe that's what happened to Fury after the whole mess with the Watcher being killed and Fury replacing him. Not sure what you mean about Bucky.

[Phil]

This week I've read Alex + Ada, Vol. 2 and Alex + Ada, Vol. 3. I highly recommend this series for anyone that hasn't read it. I also read Grimm Fairy Tales Presents: Code Red. It was enjoyable, but I liked the few books I've read from the Fables series much more. Up next I have Spider-Man: Blue. This is a reread and I'm curious to see if I will enjoy it as much the second time around.

I finally picked up the last trade that I needed for my Ultimate Spider-Man collection, so I plan on reading/rereading that entire series over the course of 2017.

[Wayland]

This week, I got:

Darkwing Duck 7 (entertaining Walking Dead parody)
Detective 949 (is anyone else getting sick of hearing about Batwoman's Dad?)
Serenity No Power In The 'Verse 4
Star Wars 27- (Yoda in action)
Hulk 2- (Jennifer Walters having control issues)
Blue Beetle 5
Ghost Rider 3- (a Hulk, a Wolverine, and a Ghost Rider walk into a casino...)

[Kate]

Over the last few days I binge read Vader Down, Darth Vader, Vol 3: The Shu-Torun War, Darth Vader, Vol 4: End of Games and Doctor Aphra #1-3.

I thought Vader Down was just as good as Darth Vader Vols 1 and 2. I highly recommend them. I didn't enjoy Darth Vader Vols. 3 and 4 quite as much, but they were still fun. If you missed them though, you definitely don't need to read them before jumping into Doctor Aphra.

I'm enjoying Doctor Aphra so far, though I wish that they could have kept Darth Vader artist Salvador Larroca on instead of getting Kev Walker for this book.