Storybook War and Post-Apocalyptic Love

[spectralbovine]

It turns out that two of my favorite comics both started in 2002: Fables and Y: The Last Man. The former is ongoing, but the latter recently ended its run, and I am now completely caught up on both of them, which compels me to recommend the hell out of them to you all.

The premise of Fables, by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham, is simple: all

Comments

[daynr]

WhooHoo, something to do when I'm bored and no one wants to talk. OR, maybe I'll download it to my blackberry and take it to meetings.

[lynevere]

Cool. I only made it through the first volume of Fable - I found it kind of trite and self-pleased with its premise, but I'm definitely a fan of Y: The Last Man. My library only has volumes 1-9, so I'm still waiting to finish that off. I'm hesitant to buy it, since I got burned on Volume 8.

she draws the women like real people
Not sure I completely agree... the women are definitely more attractive than a cross-section would be. And there is a volume called Girl on Girl. But overall, yes, a surprising amount of restraint is shown towards the fan service/porn. In characterization, though, definitely real women.

"I think finales are what give stories their meaning."
Amen to that. (Not that I can really comment in the specific, since I haven't seen the finale yet.)

[spectralbovine]

I only made it through the first volume of Fable - I found it kind of trite and self-pleased with its premise
Heh, well, it gets better, if you want to give it another try.

I'm hesitant to buy it, since I got burned on Volume 8.
How so?

Not sure I completely agree... the women are definitely more attractive than a cross-section would be.
Well, sure. What I meant was that the art isn't extremely stylized or anything; you could see how the person drawn could easily map to an actual human being. It helps keep everything grounded.

And there is a volume called Girl on Girl.
Heh. Well, the world's full of women! It's inevitable. They can't all be straight.

In characterization, though, definitely real women.
And that's the important part.

Amen to that. (Not that I can really comment in the specific, since I haven't seen the finale yet.)
Although you can already tell in Volume 9 that the story's coming to a close.

[lynevere]

How so?
My local library basically stocks "popular" items, so I do almost all of my borrowing through requests to other libraries in the county. I was up to Volume 8, and the cart catalog didn't list it, although it did have a copy of 9. I decided to buy 8 and donate it to the library. Once I did that, though, Volume 8 still didn't show up on the cart catalog. On a whim, I checked the shelf in my local library, and I saw four copies of Volume 8. It turns out they filed that one by the subtitle, while every other one was alphabetized by "Y: The Last Man."

I understand that's not a reason to not buy Volume 10, but it makes me hesitant.

[spectralbovine]

Oh, I thought you meant "burned" storywise! And now I understand that by "my library" you did not mean your personal library.

Volume 10 comes out in June.

[toastandtea]

Oooh, i like this post, despite not having read either. PIMPAGE: EFFECTIVE.

I've basically intended to read Y for yeeeears, i just really never get around to reading comics (what's up, only just now reading Watchmen!) But with it ending now and seeing mention of it in so many places my curiosity has been piqued again. Also, i accidentally spoiled myself for a very big huge thing in glancing over a review of the last trade and i hate myself for it. :( BUT i will not let that get me down too much.

I remember also being interested in Fables when i heard about it at some other point, but apparently it takes a lot of bashing over the head for me to REALLY notice things and i guess it didn't stick. I will definitely check it out now.

[spectralbovine]

Oooh, i like this post, despite not having read either. PIMPAGE: EFFECTIVE.
HUZZAH! Thank you for being you.

(what's up, only just now reading Watchmen!)
Doesn't it rule? It actually lived up to all the hype, surprisingly enough.

Also, i accidentally spoiled myself for a very big huge thing in glancing over a review of the last trade and i hate myself for it. :(
Oh, motherfuck! I'm sorry. That sucks. Well, that is only one of many surprises. It's just...the last big one, I guess. Le sigh.

BUT i will not let that get me down too much.
Just try to forget about it! Enjoy the ride. It's a great ride.

I remember also being interested in Fables when i heard about it at some other point, but apparently it takes a lot of bashing over the head for me to REALLY notice things and i guess it didn't stick. I will definitely check it out now.
Ha, well, maybe I'll remind you constantly. Check it out!

[the_narration]

I have mad love for Y: The Last Man. I started reading it near the start of its run when I was just starting out reading comics, and it was the best comic I'd ever read. It's still one of the best. The plot, the characters, the dialogue, the emotion, the humor, the action, the art... it's all incredible. And, although I wasn't able to really appreciate this until just a few years ago, it's one of the more feminist comics I've ever come across.

Brian K. Vaughan is my favorite comic book writer. His other original creations, Ex Machina and Runaways, are also fantastic.

[spectralbovine]

I started reading it near the start of its run when I was just starting out reading comics
Really? Huh, I think you and I started reading comics around the same time. Within a year of each other, at least.

The plot, the characters, the dialogue, the emotion, the humor, the action, the art... it's all incredible.
Yeah, it's very consistently good.

And, although I wasn't able to really appreciate this until just a few years ago, it's one of the more feminist comics I've ever come across.
Yep, definitely.

Brian K. Vaughan is my favorite comic book writer.
What about Brian Michael Bendis?

His other original creations, Ex Machina and Runaways, are also fantastic.
I'm catching up on Ex Machina now, in fact. And I've read a few issues of Runaways and really liked them, although it was the second volume so I wasn't really clear on who everyone was and what was going on.

[the_narration]

Huh, I think you and I started reading comics around the same time. Within a year of each other, at least.
I started in... '01, I think. I wasn't reading much the first few years, though. No DC or Marvel.

What about Brian Michael Bendis?
Eh... he's done some stuff I've liked, but he's also done some seriously sub-par stuff lately. I'm starting to think he might be a bit overrated.

And I've read a few issues of Runaways and really liked them, although it was the second volume so I wasn't really clear on who everyone was and what was going on.
Yeah, you really should start with volume one. It's a complete story in and of itself, and volume two would spoil most of the plot twists.

[ryca]

Thanks for the awesome recommendations.

Off-topic, but I saw this today and thought of you.