Re: Weekly Reader, April 14, 2025

[Perry]

Okay, after reading three issues of the Hulk and the fact that I am now in the late 70's of my Marvel back order reading, I have decided to change it up a bit. I'm going to drop out of the "Marvel reading order" list (where they concentrate on story arcs) and start reading like I did back when I was a kid... monthly, back and forth
I have reached a point in the "reading order" where I am, primarily, in 1978, which would put me at eleven years old (what a great time for comics it was) so I am now going to read books like I did back when I was eleven... I am going to be picking a few issues "off the rack" each month but I am only going to be picking 5 or 6 a month because:

A - That is all I had money for when I was eleven (my allowance wasn't but about $2 a week back then and I had to get my comic Slurpee )
B - That is about all I have time for right now

I will be picking comics that I would have bought (did buy) back then, which means there will be certain issues that I lean to (Like the F.F), while I will also try and allow for a comic or two that I would have tried either based on how the cover grabs me, a love for a character, or some such reasoning. Also, I would be reading both Tomb of Dracula and Captain Marvel at this time (and probably barely understanding either... hahaha), but they are about at the end of their runs so I am skipping those. 


Also, this may only last a month or two before I get bored with the idea, so there is that 

Marvel Unlimited
Ultimate Black Panther #12

DC Universe Ultra
Absolute Batman #6
Absolute Flash #1
Batman and Robin: Year One #6
New Gods #4
Zatanna #2
Hellblazer #53
Legion of Super-Heroes #299

Hoopla
??

Marvel Back Issue Bin  August 1978 (cover date November) Highlight = Iron Man creative team of Michelinie/Layton/JR.jr begin!

         

[Jeff]

Where are you going to get the Conan issues?

[Perry]

Where are you going to get the Conan issues?

HA!
Ya know, when I was going through the images, trying to picture being back in that time and choosing which titles I would've grabbed, I just went straight to the ones I was most interested in, not thinking how Conan is no-longer under the Marvel publishing umbrella and therefor would not be on the Unlimited app. 
 

I guess I could use the Conan copies I have, I do have them all , but that seems like it would get old rather fast. I may have to edit my list, but maybe I will read that issue and let my satisfaction, or lack of, guide me.

[Jeff]

I'm thinking my time will free up after today so I'll keep everything on here for now. It's a lot of collected editions.

Marvel Unlimited
Magik 1
Namor 6
Ultimate Black Panther 12
Wolverine 5
Mystic 22
Mystic 23
Mystic 24

DC Universe Ultra
Legion of Super-Heroes #298
Legion of Super-Heroes #299
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #6
ABSOLUTE FLASH #1
BATMAN & ROBIN: YEAR ONE #6 (OF 12)
THE NEW GODS #4 (OF 12)

Hoopla
Barbaric Vol 3 Hell to Pay (Collects issues 1-3)
Hey Kids Comics! Prophets and Loss Vol 3 (Collects issues 1-6)
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees TPB

ComiXology
Knighted (Collects issues 1-5) - 
The Joneses Vol 1 (Collects issues 1-5)
———————————————————————————————

[Perry]

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees TPB

Marvel Unlimited
Ultimate Black Panther #12

DC Universe Ultra
Absolute Batman #6
Absolute Flash #1
Batman and Robin: Year One #6
New Gods #4
Zatanna #2
Hellblazer #53
Legion of Super-Heroes #299

Hoopla
??

Marvel Back Issue Bin August 1978 (cover date November) Highlight = Iron Man creative team of Michelinie/Layton/JR.jr begin!

        

************************************************************

Ult Panther - This read superfast. I mean it felt like it was a ten page issue. Haha. Still enjoying this, but as a regular marvel universe Moon Knight fan, it hurts at times. But I do also like the difference


Avengers #177 - Wow, still a very fun issue with lots of action, also has a great end to the story. I know I had read the issue prior to this and luckily I still remember that story from the previous issue, so jumping in here, right in the middle of the action, was no problem. Funny how we had to do that when we were first buying comics though... get acclimated and brought up to speed on the title as best we could, as we went along. I have a certain fondness for that memory for some reason. I think I would find it more frustrating now, if most comics I tried were in the middle of an arc. Hahaha. 
Oh, something else about this issue, I just now found out that Perez didn't draw this. I could have (and would have) sworn he was the penciler on this darn thing. My memory seems to recall it precisely, but no, it was some cat named David Wenzel, who I don't know much about at all, but he did pretty good with this issue. Jim Shooter writing this was also something that slipped my mind. I don't know who I thought it was that wrote this, but it wasn't Shooter. Yes, a great issue.
8 outta 10 Cosmic Entities 

[Gay Titan]

I'm curious to see your comments on Absolute Flash #1. The second issue should be in my pull this Wednesday.

[Perry]

Dang, My plan was to read these Marvel comics over the course of the month, but I may need to add more 
 
 Not going to read it, but I added the Hulk cover to showcase the rare "Tossing the Tank Double Take" for August (cover date November) on both the Hulk and Iron Man covers
 

Marvel Unlimited
Ultimate Black Panther #12

DC Universe Ultra
Absolute Batman #6
Absolute Flash #1
Batman and Robin: Year One #6
New Gods #4
Zatanna #2
Hellblazer #53
Legion of Super-Heroes #299

Hoopla
??

Marvel Back Issue Bin August 1978 (cover date November) Highlight = Iron Man creative team of Michelinie/Layton/JR.jr begin!

      

************************************************************

Conan - A good fill-in, which according to the editors and Roy Thomas, takes place between Conan issues #2 and #3. We are also told on the front page here on this issue that regular artist John Buscema is in France and Italy, so his brother is doing the pencils, but I swear he only did the layouts because inker Ernie Chua (or Ernie Chan as he was called) has his mitts all over the look of this book. It isn't bad looking book, I like Ernie well enough, but he is often al little stiff with his movements and isn't quite up to the talent level that the Buscema brothers possess in their hands, though few are. Still a great little battle with some wolves ended up being more fun than the main battle with the crypt creature, but hey, I still enjoyed it all

Iron Man - It still feels weird jumping into the middle of arcs like this, especially when I wasn't expecting to here, with the new creative team, but I also have no problems with them finishing off the story prior. Damn this is a great looking book and Iron Man uses his hip power cells!! Always a bonus for me, as a huge fan of that old costume. 

[Jeff]

Marvel Unlimited
Magik 1
Namor 6
Ultimate Black Panther 12
Wolverine 5
Mystic 22
Mystic 23
Mystic 24

DC Universe Ultra
Legion of Super-Heroes #298
Legion of Super-Heroes #299
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #6
ABSOLUTE FLASH #1
BATMAN & ROBIN: YEAR ONE #6 (OF 12)
THE NEW GODS #4 (OF 12)

Hoopla
Barbaric Vol 3 Hell to Pay (Collects issues 1-3)
Hey Kids Comics! Prophets and Loss Vol 3 (Collects issues 1-6)
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees TPB

ComiXology
Knighted (Collects issues 1-5) - 
The Joneses Vol 1 (Collects issues 1-5)
———————————————————————————————

Barbaric Vol 3 Hell to Pay - Great ending to this arc.  This book is ridiculous fun. The talking Axe is just hilarity all the way around.  Nice development of new characters which are each interesting in their own right.  Big thumbs up.

[Perry]

Barbaric honestly reminds me of that "Band of..." book we all listened to a few years back. Remember? About the barbarian, thief, wizard and the crew? Dang what was the name of that audiobook?

EDIT - Kings of the Wyld!!

Man, that was a fun book as well


EDIT 2 - Thinking about that audiobook, I went to audible to see if that author, Eames, has written that third book of his yet (so I could grab it), and while it doesn't look like it, I did see where he is the writer of that last one shot from Barbaric v3... the one with the new weapon character "Flail"
Haha, that is awesome!!

[Jeff]

That is hilarious!  How weird it must have been to find out it was the actual writer you were thinking about!

[Perry]

Have to bail to the laundry mat (another week with no washer), so while I did mark what I read, I am not discussing anything right now, just updating my list with the addition of a few Hopple issues that have dropped today and earlier this week

Marvel Unlimited
Ultimate Black Panther #12

DC Universe Ultra
Absolute Batman #6
Absolute Flash #1
Batman and Robin: Year One #6
New Gods #4
Zatanna #2
Hellblazer #53
Legion of Super-Heroes #299

Hoopla
Conan #20 <- Added
Phantom Road #11 <- Added
TMNT #8 <- Added

Marvel Back Issue Bin August 1978

   

************************************************************

[Jeff]

Marvel Unlimited
Magik 1
Namor 6
Ultimate Black Panther 12
Wolverine 5
Mystic 22
Mystic 23
Mystic 24

DC Universe Ultra
Legion of Super-Heroes #298
Legion of Super-Heroes #299
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #6
ABSOLUTE FLASH #1
BATMAN & ROBIN: YEAR ONE #6 (OF 12)
THE NEW GODS #4 (OF 12)

Hoopla
Barbaric Vol 3 Hell to Pay (Collects issues 1-3)
Hey Kids Comics! Prophets and Loss Vol 3 (Collects issues 1-6)
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees TPB

ComiXology
Knighted (Collects issues 1-5) - 
The Joneses Vol 1 (Collects issues 1-5)
———————————————————————————————

Magik 1 - Hmmm. I'm intrigued but not wowed.  Let's see how issue two goes.

Namor 6 - ok but probably just used to drag the story out. I'm ready for this to wrap up.

[Jeff]

Marvel Unlimited
Magik 1
Namor 6
Ultimate Black Panther 12
Wolverine 5
Mystic 22
Mystic 23
Mystic 24

DC Universe Ultra
Legion of Super-Heroes #298
Legion of Super-Heroes #299
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #6
ABSOLUTE FLASH #1
BATMAN & ROBIN: YEAR ONE #6 (OF 12)
THE NEW GODS #4 (OF 12)

Hoopla
Barbaric Vol 3 Hell to Pay (Collects issues 1-3)
Hey Kids Comics! Prophets and Loss Vol 3 (Collects issues 1-6)
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees TPB

ComiXology
Knighted (Collects issues 1-5) - 
The Joneses Vol 1 (Collects issues 1-5)
———————————————————————————————

Ultimate Black Panther 12 - as much as I was hoping this was the end, I'm glad it's not.  This issue is good and the setup for next issue looks even better.

Wolverine 5 - still pulling me in with this 2nd story arc.  Like the team up too. which continues into next issue.  I'll be there.

ABSOLUTE BATMAN #6 - better than I was expecting. A lot of nice twists in this book in where characters are vastly different yet still familiar.

[Gay Titan]

Absolute Flash #2
Nightwing #125
Superman #23 & 24
Thundercats #14
Titans #22

[Jeff]

Marvel Unlimited
Magik 1
Namor 6
Ultimate Black Panther 12
Wolverine 5
Mystic 22
Mystic 23
Mystic 24

DC Universe Ultra
Legion of Super-Heroes #298
Legion of Super-Heroes #299
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #6
ABSOLUTE FLASH #1
BATMAN & ROBIN: YEAR ONE #6 (OF 12)
THE NEW GODS #4 (OF 12)

Hoopla
Barbaric Vol 3 Hell to Pay (Collects issues 1-3)
Hey Kids Comics! Prophets and Loss Vol 3 (Collects issues 1-6)
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees TPB

ComiXology
Knighted (Collects issues 1-5) - 
The Joneses Vol 1 (Collects issues 1-5)
———————————————————————————————

ABSOLUTE FLASH #1 - I liked it.  Now granted, I already knew about most everything that happened but it didn't take anything away from my enjoyment. I'm definitely in for the quirky characters.

BATMAN & ROBIN: YEAR ONE #6 (OF 12) - Good close to this arc within the main story. 

THE NEW GODS #4 (OF 12) - Sometimes I'm not really sure what all is going on in this comic. But I'm enjoying every bit of it anyway! And the art is amazing.