TF Views

"Hi, I'm Dom. I buy comics I don't really like or aren't interested in because of arbitrary reasons like certain writers being on the book, or because I am looking for filler, despite being several months behind on legitimately good books like Cobra or TF, or simply not buying books like Atomic Robo."

"Hi, my name is O6. I am a twerp who makes valid points by using sarcastic faux-quotes and attibuting them to people whose behavior does not make much sense."

There, see how you like it.

"I need a filler book right now."

Force of habit plays a role here. Reading too few books just feels weird.

But, following writers makes perfect sense. If a writer did a competent to excellent job in the past, I can reasonably expect them to do the same now or in the future. For example, Bendis floored me with "Dark Avengers", so I will give his work a chance. (I am avoiding "Powers" for the moment because I am so far behind. But, at some point or another....)

If I did not follow creative teams, the new "More than Meets the Eye" would be on my "avoid" list by virtue of it having gimmicked numbers, a foil cover and sloppy art. But, Roberts and Roche have earned some trust from me with their past work.

(It's that last one that gets me. You seriously had no reason to buy all those issues of, what, fucking Moon Knight or whatever?)

It was "Dark Wolverine", which was initially a question of morbid curiosity. Way and Lu have earned the cred.

I can cite numerous examples of you buying entire runs of comics that you explicitly weren't enjoying or were only mildly interested in,

You are welcome. I am happy to read "Sabertooth: Death Hunt" and "Countdown" so you guys do not have to.

"Shitty Bumblebee Book."

Shut up.


Dom
-can only imagine the confusion if somebody tries to drop one, but not the other....

I'm gonna take that as Dom conceding a point. This truly is going to be a year of mass cultural shifts.

Are the Armada junior novels any shittier than the G1 cartoon?

Dominic wrote:

"Hi, I'm Dom. I buy comics I don't really like or aren't interested in because of arbitrary reasons like certain writers being on the book, or because I am looking for filler, despite being several months behind on legitimately good books like Cobra or TF, or simply not buying books like Atomic Robo."

"Hi, my name is O6. I get drunk and take off my pants in the presence of people I've only previously known on the Internet."

There, see how you like it.

I fixed it for you.

(In all seriousness, it wasn't meant as an attack. I've also been having a shitty few days at work so if there's any unintentional malice in there, it's not intended. All in good fun. Etc.)

Force of habit plays a role here. Reading too few books just feels weird.

Then pick up some of the new TMNT, it's great. Or Mega Man. The first trades of both are out now...

It was "Dark Wolverine", which was initially a question of morbid curiosity. Way and Lu have earned the cred.

I'm pretty sure you were reading Moon Knight too. Whatever the hell that is.

You are welcome. I am happy to read "Sabertooth: Death Hunt" and "Countdown" so you guys do not have to.

I never asked you to! (And for the record, that Sabretooth book sounded awesome.)

"Shitty Bumblebee Book."

Shut up.

I fully expect that thing to be sucky. We all remember the last Bumblebee book, right?

-can only imagine the confusion if somebody tries to drop one, but not the other....

When I went to add them to my list, the guy running the shop asked me if I actually wanted to read both, or was simply adding both to my list to avoid anybody working there confusing one for the other.

Are the Armada junior novels any shittier than the G1 cartoon?

By several orders of magnitude. They are some of the worst things that I have read, not just in terms of TF.

(In all seriousness, it wasn't meant as an attack. I've also been having a shitty few days at work so if there's any unintentional malice in there, it's not intended. All in good fun. Etc.)

No worries. You had a point.

I'm pretty sure you were reading Moon Knight too. Whatever the hell that is.

I am giving "Moon Knight", (which has real promise), until this summer.

I fully expect that thing to be sucky. We all remember the last Bumblebee book, right?

Different creative team. You know that matters more than the main character.

Alan Grant "Batman" > 1950s Batman.

When I went to add them to my list, the guy running the shop asked me if I actually wanted to read both, or was simply adding both to my list to avoid anybody working there confusing one for the other.

Dude, my comic store was confusing the less similarly named "GI Joe" and "Avengers" titles, and was also suprised when I was not just buying the extra books in my file. They also express shock and awe when I am annoyed when books that are supposed to be in my file are not there.


Dom
-and there are going to be 3 "Transformers" books, all starting with the word "transformers".....oi.

Onslaught Six wrote:When I went to add them to my list, the guy running the shop asked me if I actually wanted to read both, or was simply adding both to my list to avoid anybody working there confusing one for the other.

Here's a thing (and goes for Dom too, moreso maybe): If you're only getting two or three books every month, why bother with a 'pull list' at all? All I do is go to the comic store when the new comics I care about come out, go over to that shelf where they put out that week's new stuff, pick it up with my hands, and take it over to the counter to pay for it. That way, I *know* I'm getting the TF (or otherwise) book I want when it comes out, rather than leaving it up to the comic shop guy to try to differentiate between MTMTE and RID and whatever the heck else. Is this incorrect, have I been doing it wrong all this time? Because I've been getting my comics, and I don't *need* to clarify with the guys at the shop which series I want to read because I'm the one grabbing the comics and buying them for myself in the first place.

If you're only getting two or three books every month, why bother with a 'pull list' at all

Because stores around here consistently under-order on some of the books that I read. Even if I go on a Wednesday (morning even), I am not guaranteed to get my comics unless they have been set-aside for me. (Yesterday was a good example. There were no copies of "More than Meets the Eye" on the shelf. And, that was no unusual for TF comics.)

And, that assumes I can get there on Wednesday to begin with. Harrisons is better on this point, but they do not consistently have issues on the shelf for more than a few days. And, they are just difficult for me to get to regularly that I am not going to make them my regular store, despite their many virtues.

Is this incorrect, have I been doing it wrong all this time?

We just do not role that way in Boston brochacho.


Dom
-wow, cultures clash!

Yeah, I'd say you just need to find a better comic shop. Mine kicks ass, is pretty much right there on the way home from work, generally has everything I want on the shelf when I get there on Wednesday, and even gets Retailer Incentive variant covers and cool crap. Now I feel bad, since I figured all comic shops were run this competently, and I've apparently been taking them for granted. I'll thank them for being so awesome next time I'm in there.

At the end of the day, we all have "arbitrary" ways of selecting what we read/watch or what have you. Following a creative team makes about as much sense as that thing Gomess said and as much sense as my approach which centers around following the franchise. Either way, there's no guarantee of quality. Writers and artists can let you down just as much as being let down by following the franchise itself. I mean, look at Furman. His work is pretty much the definition of hit and miss. And, I would rather spend money on a bad TF story than a good story in a franchise that I care nothing about.

BWprowl wrote:Yeah, I'd say you just need to find a better comic shop. Mine kicks ass, is pretty much right there on the way home from work, generally has everything I want on the shelf when I get there on Wednesday, and even gets Retailer Incentive variant covers and cool crap. Now I feel bad, since I figured all comic shops were run this competently, and I've apparently been taking them for granted. I'll thank them for being so awesome next time I'm in there.

Maybe it's unique to California because my comic shop usually has this too. Although I've generally had a pull list mostly to save me the time required to wander the wall. Although, I can see the upside to your approach which would allow me to determine which cover I want each month rather than have the comic shop guy try and guess it for me. And it should be noted that the stores in Dom's area almost collectively suck ass. He and I have had numerous discussions on the subject.

Shockwave wrote:And, I would rather spend money on a bad TF story than a good story in a franchise that I care nothing about.

I disagree. If I could've gotten back the money I spent on 'The Ascending' at the time and spent it on something related to, say, 'Kamen Rider' (which I hadn't gotten into at that point) I would've been *so* much happier.

I mean, a bad story from a franchise you care about is only going to annoy you more than normal, since you expect said franchise to make you happier (Again, witness my outrage over 'The Ascending'). Conversely, checking out something from something you previously had no interest in, and having it turn out to be good can be one of the most pleasantly surprising experiences you can encounter. Case in point: my experience with the 'Gossip Girl' manga.