Shopping List

Another heavy week, another scan of my grubby shopping list. You'll note that I've added an exciting new star rating to the single issues. This is to show you how much I'm looking forward to reading each comic - See, always thinking outside the box!

Ahem...

 

I've also added a handy list of stuff I won't be buying this week. Obviously there's a lot of stuff I won't be buying, but this is the notable stuff I won't be buying. Here's why...

Back Issue + Alter Ego: I've done a lot of money on these expensive mags over the last couple of years. Occasionally I've enjoyed them, but more often than not (and this is especially true of Back Issue) I find myself wondering why I've shelled out my hard earned to read a series of articles where the author usually does little more than recount the plot of his favourite run of comics. If I want the "In issue 9 of Amethyst Princess of Gem World, Amethyst fought the Troll Women of Labiya. In issue 10 of Amethyst Princess of Gem World, Amethyst destroyed the wicked wizard of Kok-Suk" sort of article, I can go to Wikipedia. 

To be fair, there are some good interviews and rare pieces of art interspersed with the bilge, and the fact that this issue features interviews with Alan Davis and Jim Shooter means that I might buy Back Issue after all. Alter Ego is a definite no though.

Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #1: I'm not buying this because I don't need to. It's not that I don't think I'd enjoy it, because I most likely would, it's just that I have to take a stand against these silly mini-series which seem to be clogging up my life at the moment and this seems a good place to start.

The Ultimates Vol 3 TP: Issue one of Loeb and Madureira's Ultimates run was so fucking bad that I vowed never to look at another issue. Now this is out, and I'm sort of tempted to buy it just to see how bad it is as a whole. But no, I've reread why I hated issue #1 so much and that's enough to jolt me back to my senses.

Secret Wars II Omnibus: Ridiculous! Secret Wars II was so terrible that Secret Invasion looks like The Watchmen in comparison. For the life of me I can't understand why this is getting the Omnibus treatment, let alone fathom who in the world is going to pay the £75 RRP! I fully expect this to be the first Omnibus to end up in the 50p boxes at Orbital.

Briefly

To business.

Firstly big shout out to Clubber Lang, who found his way to LLC via THIS OLD POST. Thanks for dropping by Clubber and, yes, I have plenty more Fighting Fantasy deaths up my sleeve. Here's a particularly nasty one for your delectation...


...OUCH. My prediction...Pain!

If FF has had as profound effect on your life as it has mine, then I suggest that you join THIS FACEBOOK GROUP (sadly you'll need a Facebook account to share the sadness, sorry).

Next, thanks to Spinx for taking the time to look me up. I met Spinx on the Northern Line a month or so ago when I was fairly drunk, he was reading some Silver Age Flash reprints and had the misfortune of being a captive audience while I ranted nonsensically about Gorilla Grodd. Apparently I also recommended Criminal to him, which was quite sensible of me really. Hope you're enjoying the trades mate, Brubaker+Phillips = comics goodness!

That's the bulging electronic mail sack out of the way then, what else is itching my comics anus? Well, I'm currently in shock at the news that Marvel are releasing Secret Wars II and its various tie-ins as an omnibus. Seriously...

see for yourself

Yup chums, that's right: £58 of your hard earned for a luxuriously presented collection of some of the WORST comics Marvel has ever put out.

For the love of Stan and Jack!

Why are they foisting this shite upon us? Could it have anything to do with the fact that The Beyonder turned up in Bendis's Avengers Illuminati recently? Is Bendis about to reintroduce The Beyonder in Secret Invasion? Does his reappearance really warrant an omnibus? And could this be the first omnibus that ends up making its way into the bargain buckets of your local comic shop?

I think so, because honestly, can you see ANYONE buying this?