Vertigo has alot of good comics, 100% was amazing, although i can't find them anymore, 100 bullets is really good, as is lucifer and fables

Spawn is a great read, but has weird production times (inconsistant)

Amazing Spider-man has been great for the entire run of Straczynski.

Y the Last Man is a great book from DC's VERTIGO. It's kind of like, "What would you do if you were the last man on earth?"

Green Arrow has been a consistent read. I felt it was better with Kevin Smith but it hasn't made it's way off my reading stack just yet.

Global Frequency. Warren Ellis writes this one. It is awesome. There are 1001 agents on the Global Frequency. They are all specialists in their individual fields. They are all linked through the command center via sattlite phones (I think?). This has an almost NWO/conspiracy feel to it. Like Big Brother is watching but they are the good guys.

Things I like to read in tpb:
100 Bullets
Hellblazer
Powers

My top five recommendations for lapsed comic book fans:

5. JSA- Solid team book, with great action, cool characters that will be familiar to you, if not intimate, and nice plotting and characterization. Most of this series is available in TPB collections, so it's easy to start there and get caught up.

4. Ultimate Spider-Man- this ain't YOUR Spidey, it's the Spidey of 12-20 year olds, and that's not a bad thing. Bendis has managed to keep everything that is essential about the old character and spin it into newer, more modern scenarios and villains. Gone are the quaint horrors of radiation, to be replaced with the bugbear of genetics. Snappy, true-to-life dialogue, too. TPB's abound for this series.

3. Powers- it's a cop show, set in a world of Super heroes. An ex-super himself, our titular character and his partner investigate hero homicides, aided by the fact that he knows these people personally. A great series, with absolutely contemporary characters and situations. All speculative fiction should be this good. Also available in several trade editions.

2. The Ultimates- If Bryan Singer directed an Avengers movie written by Quentin Tarantino, it would look something like The Ultimates. Better than The Authority, The Ultimates goes the revisionist hero one better and makes no apologies for the fact that it's a mean world. Nick Fury is played by Sam Jackson. The Hulk has a mad-on for Freddy Prinze, Jr. Captain America is a borderline fascist. Iron Man is an affable alcoholic. And everything has a reason. If you were ever an Avengers fan, this is the Dark Knight version of that series. One TPB is available, which collects the first storyline. It's worth picking up, though.

1. Astro City- Busiek does a tremendous job of reminding us why we fell in love with comics. Every issue (and TPB) of Astro City is a love note to the super heroes of our past, with stories built around a core of humanity. You will never look at your favorite heroes, Marvel or DC, the same way ever again. Start with the trade paperbacks, Life in the Big City and Confessions. Everyone loves this book for good reason; it's one of the best the industry has to offer.

That was just great, though, when Ultimate cap kicked a de-hulked bruce banner in the face. I like that Cap in the Ultimates is a flawed character now. That really makes it interesting. Personally, I want to see an Ultimate Magneto vs the Hulk at some point, but it's not likely.

Flash is off-the-charts fantastic. All of you people who are losing it over JSA and Avengers should be reading this. Geoff Johns' best stuff is with the Fastest Man Alive.

Black Panther is phenomenal, and I am devastated that it is being canceled. I would rather they cancel just about any 2 other books than this one.

Other honorable mentions in the standard super-hero genre: JSA, JLA, New X-Men, Astro City, Aquaman, and Captain Marvel.

Non-super hero and Alt-super hero gems: Automatic Kafka, Love & Rockets, Y the Last Man, Promethea, Pop Gun War, Queen and Country, Private Beach, and yes, I too love 100 Bullets.

Ruse. Everone please read Ruse. You won't regret it. It is a stand alone title so you won't get pulled nto crossovers. Pick up the first TP "Enter The Detective" I guarantee it wll be the best money you spent on comics in five years.

If you are looking for good stuff, look at Leob and Lee's work on Batman. It's been pretty good. Keep an eye on Xtreme X-men, with the long awaited sequel to "God Love, Man Kills." (which in my opinion, was the greatest graphic novel done. It made me really become a fan of the X-men.)

Peace,

Tim

Try picking up Fantastic Four 60 (9 cents still in back issue bins). Ever since he took over, FF have been great (and I never considered picking up an FF book before he touched it.

Pick up FF Visionaries: John Byrne TP. You won't regret that either.

The Ultimates comes out the 28th of this month. Check It Out .....

Amazing Spiderman - with JMS writing Spiderman is back on top where he bleongs

New X-men - the freshest and most interesting take on the X-men in many years

Batman - wriitng is above average but the art is spectacular!

FF Visionaries: John Byrne was okay. But the Trial of Galactus was better.

As for Ruse, I love the art, but the story is solid. I prefer Sojourn over Ruse mainly becuase it has the best artwork in all of CrossGen.

If you like art pick up Sojourn or Ruse.

If you like story, New X-Men isn't too bad. So is Ultimate Spider-Man.

The Fantastic Four is really growing on me, and so is the Avengers.

The Hulk should only be read if you know what's going on before.

But as I said before (I think), the best book overall is The Ultimates. Awesome story with some of the comic book industries' best artwork (although I never did like the artwork for the Authority, Hitch's work in the Ultimates is awesome).

Oh, and if you want to work for Marvel, this week's MARVILLE is a definite read! (Well not actaully read, but more like finding the submission guidelines for Marvel...)

Oh yeah, Batman is another book you should buy only if you like art. I buy it not to read it, but to glare at Jim Lee's best artwork since X-Men #3 (Vol. 2)

Hulk is quite good right now. It's taken the hulk from being a rampaging monster beatin' sh*te to a horror/mystery kinda cool. Though i havn't checked out the abomination story it looks promising.

Time to call Hell and check the temp. See if Satan is skating to work......


PEACE!!!!

Tim