The Anime/Comics/Manga Thread

[MetalSwift]

So what series is everyone following, which ones do you see being big given some time, and what are you reading digitally or in print?

Right now I've been reading through a lot 1992-1996 Image Comics: Spawn, WildC.A.T.S, Witchblade, and The Darkness. I'm loving The Darkness and wish I would've read it back then. It's harder getting into Witchblade which The Darkness' main protagonist first appeared. Spawn is Spawn. I originally started reading that shortly after the HBO series premiered. Haven't gotten around to WildC.A.T.S yet. I read the series back in the late 90s, but never got into it.

I'm also reading Saga which is pretty damn good.

From 2000 A.D/whatever, I'm reading Judge Dredd from 1977. Once you get to the Robot Wars story arc there's some weirdness in story that bothered me personally, but yeah. Dredd's maid/landlady was also written to have this bad, stereotypical Italian accent.

...like it's written out.

From DC I'm cutting through New 52. I've never been a big DC fan. Always felt that Batman was cool and had cool villains, liked reading the pure detective Batman who shot people from the 40s and 50s and the more modernized Batman from the 60s and onward. New 52 worked the same way Ultimate Marvel got me back into comics back in the mid 2000s. Unlike Ultimate Marvel there's less disdain for it I've noticed.

From New 52 I'm reading Action Comics and Superman. Enjoying both.

I have some Marvel to get around to as well.

Most of my manga reading is old stuff. Fist of the Northstar, Strain (from the old Pulp Magazine put out by Viz in the 90s!), Lone Wolf and Cub, and Urusei Yatsura. My girlfriend tells me she's tired of dude manga lol.

I want to get back to Usagi Yojimbo. I remember reading that as a kid and LOVED it. It was like...an accurate Ninja Turtles: appropriate time period and martial arts as opposed to the Turtles' martial arts vigilantism.

 

[StreetShark]

I remember the Pulp Magazine! It was hard to get that through the Viz catalog. Speaking of the Viz catalog it had so much great stuff in there. It's funny because back then VHS would cost a lot for getting 3 or 4 episodes. Do you remember Malibu Comics?

 

[Annabell]

If you'e just getting into DC, I would really recommend checking out some of the older runs, like Morrison's Animal Man or Alan Moore's Swamp Thing. Also pick up the Nu52 versions as they're great. And don't forget Aquaman!

And yeah, Ultimate Marvel was...not great, with the exception of Ultimate Spider-Man, written by Bendis, which is the the best thing to come out of the Ultimate universe if you ask most people.

 

[Outrun]

I preferred the Ultimate Marvel and Ultimate Comics, huge breath of fresh air for stuff that got stale (the last things I was on my seat for were the Civil War and Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel).

I second getting into Swamp Thing though. I'll have to give Aquaman another try, he's never been particularly interesting. I've always thought that was odd since Marvel's Namor is aquatic royalty who is interesting.

From 2000 A.D/whatever, I'm reading Judge Dredd from 1977. Once you get to the Robot Wars story arc there's some weirdness in story that bothered me personally, but yeah. Dredd's maid/landlady was also written to have this bad, stereotypical Italian accent.

...like it's written out.

That storyline kind of disturbed me as well with the whole earning your freedom only when you've proven to be of use to your masters who still mistreat you or are condescending.

I want to get back to Usagi Yojimbo. I remember reading that as a kid and LOVED it. It was like...an accurate Ninja Turtles: appropriate time period and martial arts as opposed to the Turtles' martial arts vigilantism.

I loved Usagi Yojimbo. I remember when he popped up in the Ninja Turtles' cartoon and I was hooked. Stan Sakai is a brilliant writer.

 

[ThunderSteel]

No one's checking out any anime? Not even Bleach or One Piece? With manga, I'm going back over Berzerk which I'm liking. I'd like some mecha stuff so I might go back over Macross. I was never big on Gundam post G Gundam.

 

[NuclearDragon]

G Gundam and the older series are the ones I prefer. Gundam Wing is...*sigh*...meh.

 

[Bradbury]

Everyone and their mother loves Gundam Wing. Now...0080 and 0083 are where it's at.

Currently reading Y: The Last Man, Saga, and Fables on the comics front. As far as manga, I've been following Attack on Titan and Aku no Hana, nothing else has really caught my eye. Hoping the spring season has some decent anime so I can dig into more manga.

 

[Claptrap]

Does anybody else like Cromartie High? It's probably the online anime and manga I care about, though I've not read much of the manga. The anime has an actually great dub, which sounds like it's not common for anime dubs. It's just hilarious seeing all these punks and badasses discussing things like perception and taking care of animals and such.

 

[dstarr]

Fairy Tail and Tirgun

 

[MetalSwift]

If you'e just getting into DC, I would really recommend checking out some of the older runs, like Morrison's Animal Man or Alan Moore's Swamp Thing. Also pick up the Nu52 versions as they're great. And don't forget Aquaman!

Thanks! I added those in my library queue.

Everyone and their mother loves Gundam Wing. Now...0080 and 0083 are where it's at.

Currently reading Y: The Last Man, Saga, and Fables on the comics front. As far as manga, I've been following Attack on Titan and Aku no Hana, nothing else has really caught my eye. Hoping the spring season has some decent anime so I can dig into more manga.

I loved MS Gundam and MS Zeta, but I've always been more of Macross/Robotech fan than Gundam. I agree though, everyone and their mother loves Gundam Wing.

Saga is so good. I dig the artwork and the world building so far.

Does anybody else like Cromartie High? It's probably the online anime and manga I care about, though I've not read much of the manga. The anime has an actually great dub, which sounds like it's not common for anime dubs. It's just hilarious seeing all these punks and badasses discussing things like perception and taking care of animals and such.

Freddie is my favorite character. I also liked the badass class leader who hates trolls and suffers from motion sickness. His stories have all been ridiculous.

 

[ThunderSteel]

Does anybody else like Cromartie High? It's probably the online anime and manga I care about, though I've not read much of the manga. The anime has an actually great dub, which sounds like it's not common for anime dubs. It's just hilarious seeing all these punks and badasses discussing things like perception and taking care of animals and such.

I like Cromartie High. It's hilarious and there's no long arcs to get into.

 

[MetalSwift]

That's the beauty of Cromartie, no long arcs and the running gags are great. Another comedy anime/manga I liked was Detroit Metal City about an aspiring pop singer who ends up as the frontman for a death metal band which he hates.

Tons of pelvic thrusts including the Tokyo Tower and his favorite pop singer's tambourine.

 

[Razor]

You forgot to mention the live action movie! That was great as well. It's a hat trick of the live action, manga, and anime being all good.

 

[Bradbury]

Wow, it's been a while since I remembered DMC. That series was hysterical. I remember finding the first two episodes and laughing so hard I cried. I wonder what happened to the manga...last I'd read, it was at eight volumes and counting.

 

[Annabell]

Thanks! I added those in my library queue.

No problem

Just be...careful with Morrison's Animal Man. He's known to be very, very crazy. And you can tell in his works, but it is glorious.

 

[WestCoastXO]

I don't watch as much anime anymore but I started watching Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann as well as Trigun! I've seen Trigun before, but so long ago. It brings back a lot of memories! Last week I suddenly got into this feeling of wanting to watch anime and now I can't stop. I'm determined to quickly finish these two shows and start on more.

 

[MetalSwift]

I don't watch as much anime anymore but I started watching Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann as well as Trigun! I've seen Trigun before, but so long ago. It brings back a lot of memories! Last week I suddenly got into this feeling of wanting to watch anime and now I can't stop. I'm determined to quickly finish these two shows and start on more.

Gurren Lagann when it ran on SyFy. I don't know what it was about SyFy running anime, but it just seemed right. It was the perfect fit even though they were inconsistent with the schedule. SyFy also showcased Tokko--which I was really into--and Noein which was okay at times.

Wow, it's been a while since I remembered DMC. That series was hysterical. I remember finding the first two episodes and laughing so hard I cried. I wonder what happened to the manga...last I'd read, it was at eight volumes and counting.

The series ended at volume 10 in 2010 I believe. Series like this I wish would go on for awhile. There are series where it just seems like it's run far too long.

Another great music-themed manga is Bremen. It's more of an action/drama driven one than comedy, but it has a good story behind it.

 

[StreetShark]

I loved anime on SyFy. You're right that they were never consistent, though. Plus they never had enough licensed anime to have regular blocks. They showed Gurren Lagann and Noien twice over and back in the 90s during Saturday anime they could only get movies. That did good for their blocks, but there's only so many times I can watch Akira, Green Legend Ran, Ghost in the Shell, and Robo Carnival.

 

[ThunderSteel]

That's the beauty of Cromartie, no long arcs and the running gags are great. Another comedy anime/manga I liked was Detroit Metal City about an aspiring pop singer who ends up as the frontman for a death metal band which he hates.

Tons of pelvic thrusts including the Tokyo Tower and his favorite pop singer's tambourine.

I've been reading DMC and wow this is a great series! I'll give Bremen a read in a bit. Anything else you recommend?

 

[Outrun]

Can we discuss SyFy and anime for a moment? They dropped the ball twice a decade apart on this. Anime is like mostly sci-fi and fantasy there should've always been anime on SyFy (especially on the weekend). I can understand getting the license for stuff being an issue, but c'mon SyFy.