It's been 6 months of "buying nothing" in the comics front and, well, it's been tough, primarily because I've been the showrunner of Rack Raids and it's hard to run a comic book review website without, you know, reviewing comics. I had planned on just reviewing freebies I received from publishers, but I've found reading PDF comics difficult to say the least. I have to fight with myself to do it. If only there were electronic paper and I could read digital comics on the subway. Alas, until futurescience catches up with my petty needs I'll have to keep coming up with excuses to get store credit at the Snail for my weekly batch of acquisitions. So far, I've received credit for Christmas (thanks wife!), worked for credit, sold comics for credit and put some birthday money towards credit (which, essentially, will have to last another 2.5 months... it'll be tight). By the time the September comics come around I should have plenty more work-for-trade after working behind the booth during the Con. Given that my actual weekly purchases now range from a maximum of three books to a hefty single paperback collection, I should be able to carry that store credit through to the end of the year. Then, in 2009, shopping spree!
No, actually, in 2009 I'm going to really restrict myself in my purchases. I've tried it before, maximum 5 titles and 1 trade in a week, but this time I mean it. No side purchases either at the Con or from other sources (much of which I still haven't waded through many years later). Come 2009, I can buy up to 5 titles a week (no banking) and 1 trade paperback (provided I've read the previous week's trade... if not, I can't buy anything new). If I've learned anything this year, it's restraint, if not outright discipline. Of course I'm out of debt in a few meager weeks and once I actually have disposable income my... reservations/hesitations may no longer apply.
Oh, and my idea for 2009, in terms of returning to purchasing CDs and DVDs is I can't buy anything until 6-months after it's release date. It's the only way I can ensure that I actually want to listen or watch or indeed buy it. That should prove pretty easy since I'll have such a backlog of things I've not purchased from 2008 that it'll be easy. Plus, a lot of DVDs and CDs and whatnot will be in the cheapo bins after 6 months, which should save me at least $5 per disc, if not much much more. Hmm... maybe I should do that with graphic novels/tpbs as well...
Still to do this year... sell sell sell. Review review review. but now: September comics:
No, actually, in 2009 I'm going to really restrict myself in my purchases. I've tried it before, maximum 5 titles and 1 trade in a week, but this time I mean it. No side purchases either at the Con or from other sources (much of which I still haven't waded through many years later). Come 2009, I can buy up to 5 titles a week (no banking) and 1 trade paperback (provided I've read the previous week's trade... if not, I can't buy anything new). If I've learned anything this year, it's restraint, if not outright discipline. Of course I'm out of debt in a few meager weeks and once I actually have disposable income my... reservations/hesitations may no longer apply.
Oh, and my idea for 2009, in terms of returning to purchasing CDs and DVDs is I can't buy anything until 6-months after it's release date. It's the only way I can ensure that I actually want to listen or watch or indeed buy it. That should prove pretty easy since I'll have such a backlog of things I've not purchased from 2008 that it'll be easy. Plus, a lot of DVDs and CDs and whatnot will be in the cheapo bins after 6 months, which should save me at least $5 per disc, if not much much more. Hmm... maybe I should do that with graphic novels/tpbs as well...
Still to do this year... sell sell sell. Review review review. but now: September comics:
Dark Horse
B.P.R.D. VOLUME 9: 1946 - I really, really, really want to catch up on BPRD and Hellboy... I think I have Golden Army fever. I saw a Hellboy 2 movie billboard last week and I got butterflies. And it comes out on my last day of work before holiday. Gleeee.B.P.R.D.: THE WARNING #3 (of 5) - wait for trade (vol 10?.. wow, I'll have a lot to catch up on).
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #18 - Buffy in the future...? Erm...
HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN #3 (of 3) - wait for trade... I don't even know how many Hellboy Volumes I'm behind on now.
STAR WARS: CLONE WARS #1 (of 6) - "This new series will be a compliment to Lucasfilm's highly anticipated CGI-animated The Clone Wars movie and television programs" and I can barely muster up the enthusiasm to care.
Marvel
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #570, 571, 572 - Unfortunately I don't think they're going to collect just Dan Slott's ASM issues in trade. I guess I'll just have to ignore them completely then (never been much of a Spidey fan anyway).BIG HERO 6 #1 (of 6) - were this written by pretty much anyone other than Chris Claremont I'd want to read it.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #42 - I thank the wife for buying this every month... the best book in Marvel's stable, bar none.
CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI13 #5 - Aden's picked up the first two issues, and while I find them well enough done, I just don't care about the characters or the Secret Invasion.
DAREDEVIL #111 - need to catch up on my DD trades in the new year.
MARVEL 1985 #5 (of 6) - I'll wait for trade (reviews of the first issue have been middling to good)
MARVEL APES #1 & 2 (of 4) - Actual solicitation copy: "Flingin' feces, True Believer-- the entire Marvel Universe has gone APE!" Maybe when I was 12 (or 22)...
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: MARVEL KNIGHTS 10TH ANNIVERSARY - Actually, insight into the "Marvel Knights" line, it's ideology and how it both blew-up and waned is probably worth the 2.99. Retrospectives interest me.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #5, NOVA #17 - still waiting for trade on both of these.
SUB-MARINER: THE DEPTHS #1 (of 4) - Pete Milligan on Namor? I see the potential, but there's a new Sub Mariner mini-series every year, and I doubt there's very much difference in story between them.
ASTONISHING X-MEN #27 - Warren Ellis + X-Men = waiting for trade eagerly.
X-FACTOR #35 - still one of Marvel's best books
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X-MEN: MAGNETO - TESTAMENT #1 (of 5) - Hey Aden! A new Magneto mini-series. (She lurves Magneto)
MARVEL BOY PREMIERE HC - my trade is still holding up nicely... I hope though, this means Marvel's trying to woo Morrison back to finish up the trilogy.
INCREDIBLE HERCULES: AGAINST THE WORLD TPB - I've heard good things, good entertainment.
DC
DC UNIVERSE: DECISIONS #1-2 - probably the worst idea in comics... worse than the Clone Saga or Rob Liefeld's career... having superheroes choose "Republican" or "Democrat" for the next election. Not only a means to alienate reader but also opening up a powderkeg of nonsensical fanboy rampaging on-line for years to come. The solicitations don't say it outright, but hype has noted that this "taking sides" is actually happening. Also, written by Judd Winick and Bill Willingham, reason enough not to buy right there.FINAL CRISIS #4 - I'm still intrigued, if not exactly excited.
FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS #2 - I like Rucka, but I can't get into Montoya-as-Question and the Spectre has never been of interest to me.
FINAL CRISIS: ROGUES' REVENGE #3 - Meh
FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #2 - too much Legion is probably not a good thing. But I'd like to find out how much of not a good thing it is.
AMBUSH BUG YEAR NONE #3 - I live for Ambush Bug.
SECRET SIX #1 - The mini-series was amazingly good despite the awful art (a much better artist this go-round) and Simone knows how to have fun with the characters. I'd probably like this very much.
EL DIABLO #1 - this month in copyright continuation, it's El Diablo. Anyone, at all, asking for this?
SUPERMAN #680, ACTION COMICS #869 - I'm still torn whether to buy these on the stand or wait for trade or just ignore them altogether. I've been
BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #11 - "Could the absence of the Dark Knight mean the end of the Outsiders?" Well, the title is "Batman and the Outsiders" and without Batman, it's technically fraud. Consider this title cancelled in two months.
BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #21 - Kevin Maguire+Batgirl = impatiently waiting for trade
DETECTIVE COMICS #848, NIGHTWING #148, ROBIN #178 - with Chuck Dixon off Robin, and more melodrama than you can shake a batarang at, I'm not so sure these R.I.P. tie-ins are actually going to be any good (add to that Paul Dini's first big story-arc in Detective, when his run has been strictly one-offs or two-parters to date, I'm skeptical).
BLUE BEETLE #31 - I'm curious to see how the series is handled with the new writer (although it'll have to wait until January)
BOOSTER GOLD #12 - the series still seems very interesting/entertaining... guess I'm waiting for trade on this one too.
THE FLASH #244 - new writer and artists... guess we'll see how it turns out since the wife still pics this up.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #19 - I'm not sure if I care anymore. Think I'll be dropping this off my want list.
CATWOMAN: CRIME PAYS TP - I've fallen behind on my Catwoman trades...then again, I have yet to read the ones I've already gotten. Oops.
BOOSTER GOLD: BLUE AND GOLD HC - hardcover? Seriously? Waiting for trade (this whole hardcover first business has gotten out of hand).
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL VOL. 3 HC - I'm supposed to be binding my run of this series, of which I've already bought two complete runs as is, but when they collect it all in Hardcover for me... well, laziness trumps.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA: THY KINGDOM COME BOOK 2 HC - I believe I was waiting for trade for this JSA run (13 - 18) already, but as noted above I'm not sure I care anymore. We'll see in '09 when the trade arrives.
BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #3 - perfect for the little guy
FRINGE #1 - 2 - from JJ Abrams - "a new TV series that will thrill, terrify and explore the blurring line between science fiction and reality. The mysteries start here, in a special miniseries leading up to the premiere of Fringe on FOX on September 9!" The question is, will I like "Fringe" and will I be able to find these issues if I wait to find out first...?
HEROES VOL. 2 HC - erm, volume one was kind of okay... but I stopped watching Season 2 of the show. And $30+ for something kind of okay isn't really worth it is it? Especially if I'm no longer a fan?
AIR #2 - I'm not sure I'm as sold on this series as I thought I was last month. Feathered serpent?
100 BULLETS #95 - almost at the end, and I'm not sure how enthused I am. 100 Bullets was always one of those titles I read 20 issues at a time... of course, there'll be about 20 issues to catch up on once BNY is over so, maybe I just need to wait it out.
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GOLLY #2A RED MASS FOR MARS #4 (of 4)
WAR HEROES #4 (of 6)
THE ROBERTS #2 (of 2)
DEAR DRACULA HC