The iFanboy Letter Column – 10.29.2010

Friday means many things to many people. For some, Friday means movie night. For others, Friday means pure unbridled hedonism. For some, it’s both. For others, neither.

At iFanboy, Friday means it’s letter column time.

You write. We answer. Very simple.

As always, if you want to have your e-mail read on the any of our shows or answered here, keep them coming — contact@ifanboy.com


I was just wondering, what would you put on a ‘perfect’ ten-title pull list? I’ve been out of comics for a while and have been reading some stuff, but want to get a nailed down list. I can afford about 15 books a month, but have kept 5 free for trying stuff out/minis etc.

At the moment, all that’s on it is:

• Action Comics (Until Cornell’s run ends)
• Chew
• Sweet Tooth

What else would you put on there? I’m thinking of trying Hulk because of the audio show, but I’m not sure what else. If it helps, I guess I kind of like more of a “comic book” style (I didn’t really get on with American Vampire, for example).

Dodd

We’ve got a problem here right away. You say you like “comic book style” (no idea what that means, actually), and that excludes American Vampire, but includes Chew and Sweet Tooth. So since you make almost no sense, I’m just going to come up with my ten, and you can take from it what you will. This can probably change from week to week. I’m guessing within moments someone in the comments will point out some series I didn’t include, so the list will be a little fluid. I might even change it in the comments, but I went through all my pulls for the last 3 months and this is what I’ve got.

10. The Walking Dead

9. Invincible

8. Hellblazer

7. Scalped

6. Hulk

5. Chew

4. Jonah Hex

3. B.P.R.D.

2. Powers

1. Fables

Make of it what you will. I wanted to put the upcoming Detective Comics run by Jock and Scott Snyder on there, so that could change. It’s interesting that these are the titles I stick with for years, and the only traditional superhero title is Hulk, which is a very recent addition. I might be the wrong guy to answer this question for you, Dodd.

Josh Flanagan


I’ve been wanting to start reading Wonder Woman. Are there any great stories about her like Batman’s The Dark Knight Returns or Superman’s Man of Steel?

Hey! how about a whole show dedicated to Wonder Woman?!

Per S. from Sweden

The simple answer: no.

Wonder Woman is a part of DC’s “Trinity” alongside Superman and Batman but that’s more because of her historical and cultural importance as the most famous female superhero in the entire world. But she’s not a part of the Trinity because of her popularity within comics and unlike Superman and Batman she hasn’t had that one important, definitive story (Superman and Batman have had a few each).

Wonder Woman has had good stories, yes. And she has her diehard fans who have their favorite tales that they will point to as great, but the fact remains that Wonder Woman lacks even that one great story that transcends the diehards, that one great story that and can be easily recommended when someone like yourself asks for it. I hope that sometime soon Wonder Woman gets that story. She’s too important of a character to not have that one story that everyone should read (like The Dark Knight Returns or Man of Steel or Year One or All-Star Superman). I like Wonder Woman, I think she is a great character with a lot of interesting facets (usually best explored outside of comics, like in the Bruce Timm cartoons), but historically she has kind of languished in the comics.

If you really want to start reading Wonder Woman, I would suggest reading the current arc that began in Wonder Woman #600. It’s the story of Wonder Woman being trapped in an alternate dimension (in an alternate costume, you might have heard of it) trying to figure out what’s going on, where she is, and ultimately finding her way back home. I think it’s been a ton of fun — a big action story with an intriguing mystery.

As for a show about Wonder Woman… well, I guess it’s possible. I’m really the only one of the three of us that have any real opinions on Wonder Woman so it might be kind of boring. If something big happens to Wonder Woman that’s worth talking about, it might happen. But me talking to myself about Wonder Woman for 20-30 minutes might be kind of boring. (Or fantastic, depending on your preferences.)

Conor Kilpatrick

Comments

  1. Per — if you’re looking for a Wonder Woman show, I suggest http://www.invisiblejetcast.com/ !!  Featuring ifanboy-contributor Ali, among others 🙂

    And I’m not that knowledgable about Wonder Woman, but if I were going to recommend one book it would be "Hiketeia", by Greg Rucka and J.G. Jones.

  2. Jesus, re-reading my post I realised how durpy I sound >___<

    Thanks, though.

    And by ‘comic-book’, I guess I meant ‘cartoony’…God knows, I sent that email at about 3 am…

  3. For awesome Wonder Woman, watch the animated feature from 2008 with Keri Russel and Nathan Fillion.  That ‘s a great Wonder Woman story.

    @doddsickle~  This isn’t a top 10, but here are some really great, fun comics:

    Thor: Might Avenger, Flash, New Avengers, Batgirl, Guarding the Globe, Thanos Imperative

  4. @ohcaroline – that’s exactly the book I was thinking of.

  5. "And by ‘comic-book’, I guess I meant ‘cartoony’"

    I think Thor: Mighty Avenger could be your best bet! It’s super fun, super beautiful to look at and kicks some serious ass!

     As for the suggestions from Josh –FABLES will be easy (ish) to jump onto with next months big epic #100. Hellblazer also currently has a really awesome bi-weekly mini-series going on AND the main story has just started a new arc that is new reader friendly.

    My personal suggestion would be The Unwritten

  6. Really, Greg Rucka’s Run on Wonder Woman (The Hikietia, and Issues 195-226, all traded) is usually the definitive story I’ve been pointed to over the years. As well, Geroge Perez’s run on the book (1-25, also traded) and Phil Jimenez’s Paradise Lost/Paradise Found. 

  7. @Josh – That is a very interesting top 10.  

    I’d certainly have Fables and BPRD (really all the hellboy stuff) in my top 10.  I’d probably put at least one of the G.I. Joe books, Batman and Robin and Unwritten in there, too.   

    Everything else I would put in a top 10 list I buy in trades. 

  8. Considering I don’t read enough titles to make a top 10…..I guess I would say my list is:

    1) Chew/Sweet Tooth (tie)

    3) Batman and Robin

    4) Action Comics

    5) Thunderbolts

    …..and that’s about it. I think Fantastic Four and/or SHIELD could possibly up there if more issues came out. (Fantastic Four not so much since I’m just getting back into it with ‘Three’) 

  9. For a good Wonder Woman story look for JLA League of One. Also try Wonder Woman The Circle TPB by Gail Simone.

    Also look for her appearance in the Direct to DVD Movie Superman/Batman Apocolypse.  It’s the best Wonder Woman has ever been animated.

  10. Perfect 10 books:

    Unwritten, Batman and Robin, Ultimate Spider-man, Fables, Green Lantern, American Vampire, Chew, Criminal, Atomic Robo and Scarlet

     

    Powers and Invincible would be on that list of they were still coming out.

  11. @Doddsickle:  I agree with Stuclach that Josh’s list reads more like a "what to read in trades" list.  They’re all good titles, but I don’t know if most of those titles lend themselves to "jumping on".

     Here’s my list.  To make my list, I came up with a bunch of titles that are ‘cartoony’, are above average in quality, and have had recent, or upcoming, jumping on points.  

    Action Comics (I’d start with last month’s Grodd issue), Fantastic Four (start with last month #583), Ultimate Spider-Man, Batgirl, Power Girl, Hulk (go back to #25), The Flash, Thor: Mighty Avenger (go back and pick up the Double Rainbow issue), Jonah Hex (almost every issue is a one-shot), Amazing Spider-Man (starting with upcoming #648 "Big Time" story arc.)  

    I would also say there are a couple of on-going mini-series that are worth your time and money if you have interest.   Namely, the new Pet Avenger’s mini, Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine, Justice League: Generation Lost, and Avengers Prime.  It probably goes without saying, but with all of these mini-series, you’ll want to go back and hunt down the prior issues. 

    Hope that helps. 

  12. I forgot to list Sweet Tooth.  That’d be on my list, too.

  13. Am i really the only guy that is still stuck on Superhero comics? Zombies, werewolves, and especially vampires scare me off, in fact, with the exception of werewolves, i’ll go out of my way to ignore them.

  14. I didn’t write that list as a "jumping on" list. I wrote that as my top 10, must buy books.

    I don’t know what should be on your list. I can only know my own, and it’s gonna be different.

  15. @ctrosejr – I didn’t even take the jumping on aspect into consideration.  I was just suggesting titles I like.

    @Doddsickle – One suggestion I have (and I still do this pretty regularly) is to click on the username of members whose tastes seem to match your own and look at their pull lists.  I’ve found numerous excellent books that I wasn’t reading and/or didn’t think I’d like that have since become mainstays for me.  This site is literally brimming with helpful tools (and helpful members).  Use them (the tools and the members).

  16. I just made a post that used the words "tools" and "members" and wasn’t attacking/mocking anyone.  Internet first?

  17. Wonder Woman is amazing in a book called The OMAC Project which leads up to Infinite Crisis. It’s not the easiest jump on point for a reader but she blew my mind in that.

    Similarly, while it’s really a Superman story, WW is a total badass in Kingdom Come.

    I love Wonder Woman, so full of love but unarguably a soldier, one that unlike many DC heroes WILL kill if she has to. 

  18. Fantastic, Conor. Definitely fantastic.

  19. A good superhero book is Invincible. You should tackle that from the beginning, but it reads well in single issues.

  20. Oh man, I totally forgot Atomic Robo. That book is mad good.

  21. On my ‘list’ at the moment are:

    HULK, Action Comics, Batman and Robin, Jonah Hex, Generation Lost, Chew, Sweet Tooth, The Sixth Gun, Skullkickers and THOR: The Mighty Avenger (although the last two I don’t count as I just pick them up as and when I can, I don’t mind too much if they’re late).

    Although a couple I’m waiting to try out.

    I’m also gonna be picking up the new Weekly re-release of Walking Dead starting January (I’ve read the first HC). I’m not sure yet how I want to pick up Fables…would I be completely lost if I started from #100?

     

  22. I’m thinking of cutting down to 5 books, though (7 counting Gen. Lost and WD reprints) – I’ve barely got enough money as it is, getting to college every day ¬__¬. Gah. One day I’ll get this list sorted…one day…

  23. Putting together a Top Ten Current Comic Books (That I Read in Single Issues) was hard, I say. HARD.

    Here’s my list right at this moment. Don’t hold me to it:

    Scalped
    Ultimate Spider-Man
    Batman & Robin
    Irredeemable
    Amazing Spider-Man
    Jonah Hex
    Thor: Mighty Avenger
    Justice League: Generation Lost
    The Flash
    Chew

  24. My top ten pull list only read in floppies and in no order;
    1. Sweet tooth
    2. Echo
    3. Rasl (although it never comes out)
    4. Avengers academy
    5. ASM
    6. Ultimate spider-man
    7.walking dead
    8. Thor
    9. Orc stain
    10. Hulk

  25. Locke & Key

    Jonah Hex

    Thunderbolts

    Avengers Academy

    Thor the Mighty Avenger

    Batgirl

    The Flash

    Batman & Robin

    BPRD

    Mystery Society 

  26. I’m tempted to read ASM, BIG TIME looks REALLY fun.

    And I see there’s alot of praise for BPRD/Hellboy, but I haven’t read any before, so I’ll probarbly go with trades for those series, unless anyone really advises otherwise.

    How many times a month is it? 

  27. @Paul: Ah, fuck – I forgot about BATGIRL (and maybe MYSTERY SOCIETY too though there have only been a few issues and I haven’t rendered final judgement on it yet).

  28. Top 10 at the moment

    Ult Spider-Man
    Walking Dead
    Chew
    Batgirl
    JL:Generation Lost
    Thor Mighty Avenger
    Sweet Tooth
    Sixth Gun
    The Flash
    American Vampire

  29. @Doddsickle: HELLBOY and B.P.R.D. follow the series of mini-series model where there is an overall story being told but each mini-series is also accesible (hopefully; usually) to new readers. I recommend checking out th early trades. Both series are excellent.

  30. Hmmm. I dunno if anyone cares about my little opinion here but I’ll take a stab at this, too, just because I like making lists:

    (In no particular order) 

    – Invincible

    – Thor – Mighty Avenger

    – Avengers Academy

    – Agents of Atlas (oh wait. go to the next one)

    – Hulk

    – BPRD (does that count if it’s a series of minis?)

    – Flash

    – Thunderbolts

    – Orc Stain

    – Choker

    Honorable mention goes to Deadpool Team-Up which is basically a series of one shots, but IMO, is one of the most consistently funny comics out there. 

  31. @hawaiianpunch: You’ve got a good list and yes, I’d say B.P.R.D. definitely counts.

  32. The 10 books I look forward to most each month:

    28 Days Later
    Avengers
    Batgirl
    Batman: Streets of Gotham
    Darkwing Duck
    Hulk
    Irredeemable
    New Avengers
    Red Robin
    Sweet Tooth

  33. Since everyone else is doing, I may as well chime in with mine:

    New Avengers

    Hulk

    Thor: The Mighty Avenger

    Green Hornet: Year One (Matt Wagner Whoohoo!)

    Flash

    Ultimate Spider-man 

    Thunderbolts 

    Batman Streets of Gotham (i know, i know, but at least Dini is back in the current arc right?)

    Avengers

    Secret Avengers.

  34. Crap, I forgot about Batman Beyond (once the mini is over, i will be picking up the on-going!)

  35. im a noob but heres my list

     Sweettooth

     Chew

     JSA

     Batman and Robin

     Northlanders

     Secret Avengers(only Marvel book i always look forward too, but im open to any more suggestions)

     Red Robin (Although i feel lik i havent bought the book in 2 months)

     Generation Lost

     Jonah Hex

     Flash

    Its mostly DC but im really getting into other stuff the podcast has given me so much more stuff to try so thanks guy.

     

  36. @Evangelion11 – HULK is REALLY good atm, at #25 is a perfect jumping on point!

  37. Oooh, I like lists!

    Ultimate Spider-Man

    Scalped

    Chew

    Thor The Mighty Avenger

    The Flash

    Amazing Spider-Man

    Savage Dragon

    New Avengers

    Fear Agent (counts until it ends, then I’d list Fantastic Four)

    Powers 

  38. @jackietam:  Don’t feel bad about Streets of Gotham.  I’ll get my Dustin Nguyen fix any way I can, and I’ve actually enjoyed the stories quite a bit.

  39. In no particular order off the top of my head 

    irredeemable

    incorruptible

    walking dead

    scalped

    unwritten

    thor the mighty avenger

    batgirl

    incognito

    sweet tooth

    invincible iron man

  40. Well I’ll jump in on the list bandwagon.  I’ve just realized that most of them will be DC. Didn’t expect that. 

    Red Robin         

    Generation Lost

    X-Factor

    REBELS

    Darkwing Duck

    Irredeemable

    Green Lantern (But I can’t really say which of the three titles.)

    Booster Gold

    Thunderbolts (The last three issues at least)

    Shadowland Power Man (I think he’s getting a series after the mini so I think it counts.)

     

  41. Green Lantern

    Chew

    The Flash

    Sweet Tooth

    The Sixth Gun

    Red Robin

    G.I. Joe

    Ultimate Spider-Man

    Batman And Robin

    Green Lantern Corps.

    G.I. Joe Cobra 

     

    That’s the list of my favs 

  42. 1. Amazing Spider-man

    2. Chew

    3. Green Lantern

    4. Invincible

    5. Invincible Iron man

    6. Ultimate Spider-Man

    7.  Unwritten

    8. Flash

    9. Walking Dead

    10. Thunderbolts

     I’d put Nova on the list in a heartbeat but sadly I’m not allowed at this point.

  43. Had to pull in a few trades to actually get 10, but here we go.

    Sixth Gun

    American Vampire

    Uncanny X-Force (as of Remender)

    Morning Glories

    BPRD

    Sweets

    Hellboy

    Chew

    Fables

    Unwritten

     

  44. Hulk

    Incredible Hulk

    Invincible

    The Walking Dead

    Dynamo 5

    Criminal 

    Avengers

    Scalped

    Haunt

    Flash 

  45. Top 10:

    The Flash
    Thunderbolts
    The Walking Dead
    Red Robin
    Amazing Spider-Man
    Batgirl
    Batman and Robin
    X-Factor
    Chew
    Justice League: Generation Lost

  46. 1. Scalped
    2. The Walking Dead
    3. Jonah Hex
    4. Invincible
    5. Ultimate Spider-Man
    6. B.P.R.D
    7. Hellboy
    8. Action Comics
    9. Echo
    10. Justice League Generation Lost

  47. Chew

    Walking Dead

    Invincible

    Batman and Robin

    Jonah Hex

    Criminal/Incognito

    Casanova

    Fantastic Four

    Action Comics

    Thor The Mighty Avenger

     

  48. Damn it how did I foget locke and key ok amended list
    My top ten pull list only read in floppies and in no order;
    1. Sweet tooth
    2. Echo
    3. ok here is where locke and key goes
    4. Avengers academy
    5. ASM
    6. Ultimate spider-man
    7.walking dead
    8. Thor
    9. Orc stain
    10. Hulk

  49. 1.  The Walking Dead

    2. JMS’ Superman

    3. Streets of Gotham

    4. Fables

    5. Supergirl

    6. Levitz’s Legion & Adventure Comics

    7. Usagi Yojimbo

    8. Locke & Key

    9. Hickman’s Fantastic Four

    10. Criminal

    Matthew

     

  50. 1) Fables

    2) Scalped

    3) Secret Six (Can’t believe this hasn’t been mentioned)

    4) X-Factor

    5) Fantastic Four

    6) Hellboy

    7) Wasteland (black and white post-apocalyptic goodness from Oni)

    8) Unwritten

    9) Sweet Tooth

    10) Shield (Marvel)/Brave and the Bold (tie.) 

  51. I’m going top 5: Northlanders, House of Mystery, Proof, Chew, Walking Dead.

  52. In no particular order: 

    1. The Flash

    2. Batgirl

    3. American Vampire

    4. Amazing Spider-Man

    5. Batman & Robin

    6. Thor: Mighty Avenger

    7. Booster Gold (I am a Booster die hard lol)

    8.  Fantastic Four

    9. Chew

    10. Green Lantern 

  53. I’ve only got a top 3 for the moment

    1) Green Lantern

    2) Superman

    3) X-Men Legacy

  54. This top ten list is a good winnowing processing. It’s actually forcing me to reconsider a lot of books I purchase and makes me want to start getting others. In no particular order:

    1. Streets of Gotham  

    2. The Flash

    3. Ultimate Spider-Man

    4. The Walking Dead

    5. G.I.Joe Cobra

    6. Morning Glories (Only two issues in, but I can’t wait for the next issue)

    7. X-Factor

    8. New Avengers

    9. Glamourpuss

    10. Echo

    ****

    I understand where people are coming from on the Wonder Woman thing. She is done so well in the Bruce Time cartoons (especially Justice League and JLU), that I find it perplexing she hasn’t had an iconic comic run. A lot of people have suggested stories that she appears in but isn’t the focus; perhaps that’s her lot in life. A corollary to that is the way I feel about Iron Man. I love a good Iron Man story, but I can’t take him in his own ongoing aside from a mini here or there. I’m more than happy to get my dose of him in Avengers or any other books he might appear in. Maybe with WW we’ll just have to settle for well-written stories that aren’t her stories per se, but where she is featured prominently.

  55. my take away from this series of comments on top 10’s is that any given title that comes out on any given week is an essential "must have" for somebody, somewhere. 

  56. Ok. For me, while it is not an out and out Wonder Woman story, Kingdom Come features the best Wonder Woman I have ever read.

  57. Dear Conor, please talk to yourself about Wonder Woman for 20-30 minutes. Thank you.

  58. No Captain America on anybody’s list?

  59. Not anymore.

  60. wow! I guess everyone has dropped Brightest Day? It’s one of the few titles I consistently look out for and LOVE that it comes out twice a month!

  61. I have a serious mental disorder where I can’t resist the call to make a top ten list:

    10. Doom patrol 

    9. New Avengers 

    8. Avengers 

    7. X-Factor 

    6. Irredeemable 

    5. Batmana nd Robin 

    4. Flash 

    3. Amazing Spider-Man 

    2. Avengers Academy 

    1. Invincible Iron man 

  62. 1batman & robin

    2 flash

    3 green latern

    4 walking dead

    5 scalped

    6 northlanders

    7 morning glories (i gotta agree, 2 issues in and im hooked)

    8 american vampire

    9 JL: generation lost

    10 Incognito (hey its back so im counting it)

  63. @Jesse1125: I’m still reading Brightest Day, and I enjoy every issue, especially having two to read at once (I get my comics once a month). But it’s only going to last a year, right? So in my mind it’s just a glorified maxi-series, and that’s why I didn’t put it in my list of ongoings. Maybe my information is wrong, but I thought it was only going last a year like some of DC’s other year-long series, with the only exception being that it’s bi-weekly instead of weekly.

  64. @Kodaiji I believe you are correct

  65. Hiketeia and League of One….  great WW books/stories, great art

  66. Not that anyone is going to read this at this point, but I wanted to make my Top Ten must have books. 

    10. Hulk 

    9. Flash

    8. Amazing Spider-Man (looking forward to Big Time.) 

    7. Time Masters Vanishing Point (I know it’s a mini-series, but it’s rocking my world.)

    6. Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine (See above)  

    5. Fables (in trades)

    4. Chew (in trades)

    3. Fantastic Four 

    2. Brightest Day 

    1. Generation Lost 

    Honorable Mentions: Batgirl and anything Pet Avengers.

     

  67. I don’t have top 10 because I usually buy trades.

    But here are a few I still buy them monthly.

    1. Thanos Imperative

    2. mystery society 

    3. Avengers Academy

    4. New Avengers

    5. Secret Avengers

    6. Thunderbolts

    I rather read Locke & Key as a trade though. Same with Unwritten.