7 Days of Stack Week – Part 12: Top…Top…Top of the Stack!

It's that time of year again. In what's become an annual tradition here at iFanboy we have our version of Shark Week on Discovery. It's STACK WEEK!

What exactly is STACK WEEK? It is identifying that lurking sense of dread in your own home. You have invited a sinister element into your home and it isn't leaving anytime soon. Books…made of pictures.

I'm not sure any of you realize just how difficult it is to be the last stack week post during stack week, and yet every year, I seem to draw this position (I think Conor has it in for me). [PAUL NOTE: Actually, I'm last this year. Tune in tomorrow.] Everyone here at iFanboy has had some wonderful insight into their own personal interests within their stacks and honestly, I found myself jotting down notes of books I want to check out as I read all the posts. And then there was Tom. How do you follow Tom Katers' already legendary Stack Week piece? You can't. So I'm not going to try. All I can do is sit here and share with you the books that I'm excited to read.

Now to be honest, this is just a sampling of my "to read" stack. My current actual stack is a pile about 4 feet tall of books that I've been meaning to read (as you can see in my post last year). Sadly, I'm a pathetic failure when it comes to tackling this stack of books. I already read an average of about 20 issues a week, which is a lot of comics! In addition to that, I've been attempting to actually read books, like without pictures, when I'm not reading comics. But I still try to make time to read a trade paperback or graphic novel a week. But my real problem is that I accumulate books faster than I can read them! A first world problem I suppose.

It's important to note that my stack is often filled with non-super hero books. While I enjoy super hero comics (obviously), these past few years my issue reading has been so wide that there has been very little in terms of trades that I've picked up to catch up on things. For the super hero comics that I'm interested in, I buy them in issues. Every now and then an archive title will get released and I'll add that to my stack, but my stack has become a bit of a haven from super hero comics of late, as you'll see in the list below.

So here we are. No clever gimmicks, not scathing wit. Simply a rundown of the 6 books that are at the very top of my stack (which has me chanting, "Top, Top, Top of the Stack" for all you old Around Comics fans playing along at home):

Judge Dredd Mega City Masters Vol. 2 – I am constantly fascinated by the world of 2000 A.D. comics. I have several friends who are die hard readers and while I haven't committed to getting the Progs as they come out, I have been dipping my foot in the waters of their trade paperback program. Mega City Masters is a great series to expose new readers to the world of Judge Dredd, with the selling point being the creators who have worked on it. This volume contains work by some of the great writers and artists we enjoy today like Mark Millar, Garth Ennis and more. The stories are short and always a blast to read. After finishing volume 1, I had to get volume 2 for some more Dredd action!

American Vampire Vol. 1 – Those who know me know that I tend to be very stubborn in my likes and dislikes, and in the world of comics the one line that has suffered the most from this stubborness has been the Vertigo line. Years ago I shrugged off Vertigo simply saying, "Not for me," and while I do read some Vertigo titles like DMZ and Sweet Tooth, I generally shy away from the line. Add to the fact that, even before the current trend, I've never been a fan of Vampire books. Add it up and I haven't partaken in what's supposed to be the wonderfulness of American Vampire. But after rave reviews from my iFanboy compatriots and others who have read the books, along with the allure of Rafael Albuquerque, I'm going to give it a shot. Look at me, growing and taking risks…

De:Tales – One of the best books of last year was Daytrippers by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon. I'm a huge fan of the brothers and when I saw that this collection of their older stories was released by Dark Horse, it shot it's way to the top of my stack. I've put off reading it because I know that I will love it and I want to savor the read as much as possible. This isn't the type of book I want to read a little bit at a time, rather I want to have a sunny Sunday afternoon, out on my fire escape overlooking San Francisco, glass of iced tea at my side and just get lost in the world that the brothers have built.

Xenozoic – Recently I had the opportunity to meet and work with Thomas Jane. Regular iFanboy audience members will understand the importance of that statement. Jokes and the like aside, what I learned was that Thomas Jane knows his comics. He has a rich understanding and appreciation for the history of comics and the great creators. One of the creators he raved about to me was Mark Schultz, a creator I knew from his Cadiallac and Dinosaurs series, but never took the time to check him out. When I saw this recent collection of Xenozoic was released, it seemed to be the perfect place to start discovering the talent of Mark Schultz.

Glamazonia: The Uncanny Super-Tranny – One of the great things about living in San Francisco is that it's a hot bed of comics talent like Justin Hall. Justin Hall has been making comics for years and has built a name for himself in the world of gay comics. His latest release, Glamazonia is another example of how great his work is. Telling comic tales within the gay culture that are both accessible and amusing is no easy feat, but Justin Hall sure does make it look easy. By poking fun at super hero comics and comics culture, as well as general society, you don't need to be gay to appreciate Glamazonia, just know good comics. In this 120 page volume, he's joined by other great artists to make a fun time with comics that much more fun.

Duncan The Wonder Dog – Yes. I am one of the last people in comics media to get on the Duncan the Wonder Dog bandwagon and I'm kicking myself for it. I had heard rumblings of this book back in the late summer and missed my numerous chances of getting a copy of it. Once the first printing sold out, I was out of luck. And then the rave reviews started rolling in. The guys on 11 O'Clock Comics raved over it. Tom Katers (him again!) wrote about it here on iFanboy. Laura Hudson marveled at it over at Comics Alliance. And I couldn't get my hands on a copy of the damn book to save my life. Luckily, they finally made it available digitally at MyDigitalComics and I was able to pick up a digital copy of it there, and while I still want to get a copy of the printed edition, I can finally partake in the genius. We'll see if I agree with everyone.

There you have it. A modest stack. No gimmicks. No drama, no games. Just 6 solid comics and graphic novels that are sure to entertain me for the weeks to come, and hopefully remove about a foot of height off my stack. But then I realize I'm headed to 3 conventions in the next 6 weeks, which means that I'm sure to accumulate even more books! It never ends!!

Comments

stuclach says:

February 25, 2011 at 2:10 pm

I really need to read American Vampire.
wallythegreenmonster says:

February 25, 2011 at 2:41 pm

@stuclach –me too. I just got a sweet deal on a used HC of Vol 1 last night so i can’t wait. I’m kinda bummed about missing the boat on Duncan the Wonderdog as well (now that is a book cover!). Fingers crossed for a second printing.
Sal says:

February 25, 2011 at 3:32 pm

I hope that Trademark payment is in the mail Richards.
Kelly (@annaluna) says:

February 25, 2011 at 3:52 pm

depite how it may appear, i have some serious standards when it comes to “vampire stuff.” i’m drawn to the genre and i give most of it a shot, but there’s a threshold of quality that something must meet for me to keep reading. There’s another, very high, threshold that it must reach before i decide that it’s great.

I’m reading the singles of American Vampires, and after 6 issues, it just might be the best vampire stuff i’ve ever read (disclaimer: i’m only 1/5 of the way through The Passage so this may be subject to immanent change).

they’re creepy and evil and gross and sometimes sexy and always awesome and the writers don’t “cheat” the standard lore without justifyable reasons and i heart it to death. the story is great. the art is even greater.
ComicBookGuy37 says:

February 25, 2011 at 5:22 pm

I’m going to get my stack out of the cupboard when I go home on Monday and recount it. At last count there were 57 trades/hardcovers on it…
In regards to Ron’s – Judge Dredd is always a lot of fun, being British, I grew up with it, and it’s almost desensitised me when it comes to violence; American Vampire is one of the best series I read right now, too.
rjspring says:

February 25, 2011 at 9:54 pm

I need to get into american vampire and start Judge Dredd… though I’ll have to admit I did like the Stallone movie – so I’m sure the comics will wow me
HailScott says:

February 25, 2011 at 11:49 pm

I ordered Duncan the Wonder Dog months ago. . . still waiting!
As far as Dredd goes, I know I can’t be the only one who hears that Anthrax song whenever his name comes up. Unless I am the only 37+ year old guy here who grew up on metal, and I highly doubt that.
Spoons says:

February 26, 2011 at 1:27 am

It took me a minute to place that Around Comics reference. That takes me way back.
whatifwhatisisnt says:

February 26, 2011 at 11:52 pm

American Vampire Vol 1 is pretty special. Stephen King doubles up on each chapter, and the art is fantastic. It’s not complex art, with busy scenes or anything, just very VERY good use of lines and color.