The last week for me has been consumed by the overthinking of two specific topics.
The first, naturally, has been the Coronavirus. Like everyone else, I've found myself unnerved by the possibility of finding myself infected and what I would do as a result. What about my kids? How would I work? What am I going to do without (at least) two weeks wages? The questions posed between my wife and I have felt almost limitless. However, there is very little I can do beyond carry on as normal and cross that bridge when I come to it.
The other topic, however, is a little easier to deal with (and actually has a connection to the notion of comics, which is what I often talk about) and that is the recent price rise on Comixology.
As a bit of backstory, within the last two weeks (I can't remember the exact day) Comicdom's premiere digital comics seller and distributor increased the cost of purchasing their comics in the UK to be more in line of the £1=$1 exchange rate which is currently set.
Now, I originally had a lot of thoughts on this subject. How, despite opinions made online, this isn't about paying creators more. How, this is Comixology (and by extension, Amazon) simply wanting greater profits at the expense of readers. How, the consequence of this will undoubtedly be Comixology being shunned by UK readers.
And, of course, the first two points of this are most likely true (the latter I'm confident is, after having a rethink, not). But, after watching a video on YouTube about how fear and paranoia sell comics, I was helped to realise that none of it really matters. I'll still read comics regardless of price, though the only question is how my comic reading will change in a world where budgeting with what little I can afford is the norm.
And the truth is, it probably won't. At the moment, the comics I buy monthly are all physical copies, which are already at the price that Comixology titles will now be. In fact, the only titles I buy off of Amazon's comic selling subsidiary are trades and deluxe editions which I want and are on sale at the moment I buy them. I don't see that changing.
I guess the only change will be in regards to limited series, which I had previously planned to buy as singles on a digital basis. Of course, that might still happen if I can afford to in my budget or I will simply pick up the trade (or the singles) if and when they are available under a sale (and again I have the change to make the purchase).
Overall though, I now realise that, after a week of overthinking things, the decision by Comixology to raise their prices doesn't really affect me all that much (even if it initially appeared that way). I'll still read new comics, either by the few singles I pick up or by advance reviews, and even if I don't I have a whole collection to re-read or even an entire Comichaus database to peruse.
In the end, I think writing this has made me realise that I maybe react too quickly to announcements and things that happen when, in reality, they aren't that bad.
Because, like the video said, comics aren't going anywhere, so they'll always be a way for me to read them.
What I read - March 2020 (Week 2)
So, into the second week of March and, like the prior week, I figured I'd try this again as it felt like a good use of time/space. However, like the previous week, I seem to have (strangely) acquired an abundance of time without realising it because I've once again burned through a truly excessive number of comics, despite having no more free time than usual.
So, on that note, I'm just gonna crack on and ramble about them:
The first, naturally, has been the Coronavirus. Like everyone else, I've found myself unnerved by the possibility of finding myself infected and what I would do as a result. What about my kids? How would I work? What am I going to do without (at least) two weeks wages? The questions posed between my wife and I have felt almost limitless. However, there is very little I can do beyond carry on as normal and cross that bridge when I come to it.
The other topic, however, is a little easier to deal with (and actually has a connection to the notion of comics, which is what I often talk about) and that is the recent price rise on Comixology.
As a bit of backstory, within the last two weeks (I can't remember the exact day) Comicdom's premiere digital comics seller and distributor increased the cost of purchasing their comics in the UK to be more in line of the £1=$1 exchange rate which is currently set.
Now, I originally had a lot of thoughts on this subject. How, despite opinions made online, this isn't about paying creators more. How, this is Comixology (and by extension, Amazon) simply wanting greater profits at the expense of readers. How, the consequence of this will undoubtedly be Comixology being shunned by UK readers.
And, of course, the first two points of this are most likely true (the latter I'm confident is, after having a rethink, not). But, after watching a video on YouTube about how fear and paranoia sell comics, I was helped to realise that none of it really matters. I'll still read comics regardless of price, though the only question is how my comic reading will change in a world where budgeting with what little I can afford is the norm.
And the truth is, it probably won't. At the moment, the comics I buy monthly are all physical copies, which are already at the price that Comixology titles will now be. In fact, the only titles I buy off of Amazon's comic selling subsidiary are trades and deluxe editions which I want and are on sale at the moment I buy them. I don't see that changing.
I guess the only change will be in regards to limited series, which I had previously planned to buy as singles on a digital basis. Of course, that might still happen if I can afford to in my budget or I will simply pick up the trade (or the singles) if and when they are available under a sale (and again I have the change to make the purchase).
Overall though, I now realise that, after a week of overthinking things, the decision by Comixology to raise their prices doesn't really affect me all that much (even if it initially appeared that way). I'll still read new comics, either by the few singles I pick up or by advance reviews, and even if I don't I have a whole collection to re-read or even an entire Comichaus database to peruse.
In the end, I think writing this has made me realise that I maybe react too quickly to announcements and things that happen when, in reality, they aren't that bad.
Because, like the video said, comics aren't going anywhere, so they'll always be a way for me to read them.
What I read - March 2020 (Week 2)
So, into the second week of March and, like the prior week, I figured I'd try this again as it felt like a good use of time/space. However, like the previous week, I seem to have (strangely) acquired an abundance of time without realising it because I've once again burned through a truly excessive number of comics, despite having no more free time than usual.
So, on that note, I'm just gonna crack on and ramble about them:
Black Bolt Vol. 2: Home Free - The second volume of Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward's series sees the eponymous Inhuman King return to Earth to find much has changed and sets about keeping his promise to lost friends while old enemies seek him out for their own nefarious purposes. I have to confess, I struggled to find this as enjoyable as the first volume, with its predecessor connecting with me much more and feeling like a better paced arc. However, while I found the first couple of issues a bit of a chore to get through, the story then picked up and the remainder felt like a perfect continuation to what had came before. Meanwhile the art is much the same, looking a little off in the early issues but coming back towards the end and still looks fantastic. The finale is a beautiful end to this story and while this volume isn't as good as the first it's still a fun read and I'm glad I've gotten to read the end of the Midnight King's journey.
Afterlife Inc Vol. 5: Glory Days - Here it is: My 200 review/article for Pipedream comics!!! Now, I'm not entirely sure what I can say about Afterlife Inc that I haven't already for the past four volumes throughout the ether. However, this volume was a little quieter than the last two, but it feels like a quiet moment to regroup the characters before something bigger happens next time. Still, I found it very intriguing, especially the second time around, and it really felt like Jon has tried to show a sort of 'Ultimate Power corrupts' vibe within his story, while also showing that when you become powerful, others ultimately want you to fail. Now I think about it, I wonder if this is a commentary on comic book creators in general and how, as they become more well known they earn greater ire. Anyway, the artists on this are numerous, but they all offer fantastic visuals which both contrast and compliment each other. And then there is the lettering by Mrs Lock which is another fantastic addition, giving the series another layer of personality and enhancing the epic feel this volume seems to be going for. After reading this twice now, I'm eager to see what comes next and how Jon intends to finish (as he told me he's planned to volume 7).
Road of Bones #1-4 - Rich Douek's horror-esque mini-series tells the story of Roman, a political prisoner of a Russian Gulag who, along with two fellow inmates, escape during a riot. However, in the cold, seemingly endless wastelands surrounding the prison, the three men who share this common goal continue to keep secrets from each other, including a vicious plan for survival and a terrifying mythical monster who appears to be following them. I remember back when I reviewed the first issue and thought that this was something special, leading me to pick up the entire run. Thankfully, my faith was not in vain as I thought the Road of Bones was a hauntingly addictive (I read 2 and a half issues in 20 minutes) read which look brutally gorgeous in its landscape thanks to Alex Cormack's style. The one thing which really hooked me and got me thinking though was whether the Domovik which Roman kept 'encountering' was actually real, as by the end I began to wonder if it was a figment of his imagination and/or a 'devil on his shoulder'. It wasn't perfect as I did have trouble telling the difference between the three characters and the story seemed to end abruptly but, beyond those slight quibbles, this was a really awesome read. I'm now already looking forward to Sea of Sorrow as, if it is anything like this story, Rich Douek can be rest assured he'll be getting my money.
Bad Luck Chuck - A comic I heard about, and subsequently picked up (obviously), on the Creator Talks podcast, Lela Gwenn and Matthew Dow Smith's four part series follows 'Chuck' Manchester, a young woman cursed with incredibly bad luck. However, rather than dwell on this 'problem', Chuck uses it to her advantage and offers her services to any who might need some bad luck of their own. But when a mob boss hires her to retrieve a runaway daughter, Chuck finds herself facing more bad luck than even she can handle. While I thought this to be a intriguing concept when I'd originally heard about it, Bad Luck Chuck ultimately left me in two minds after reading it. Not that it's a bad comic as I thought it to be quirky and exciting. However, the it's plot was just a little too bizarre for my tastes, although I wonder if I was expecting something entirely different. Still, it was a pleasant enough read, bettered by Dow Smith's almost David Mack-esque looking art (making me more excited for Star Trek Hell's Mirror) and something I may need to come back around to at a later date to see if it sticks with me better.
The Immortal Hulk Vol. 1: Or is he Both? - After hearing so much hype about this series, I picked up the first volume during a Comixology offer over Christmas. Or is he both has Bruce Banner back on the run with his angry alter ego. However, their dynamic has changed as while Bruce can die, the Hulk cannot, leading to the latter to be resurrected the night after his death as he continues to come face to face with other Gamma powered beings. I have to admit, I worried that the hype might have oversold this, but I'm glad to say this isn't the case. Al Ewing has put together a seriously engrossing story in this volume as I was totally hooked every time I picked it up (and burned through, that's how eager I was to know the whole story. Coupled that with solid art which reminded me of the Hulk's look during the JMS/McKone FF run and it's fair to say I'm sold on this. I look forward to reading more in the future.
Stumptown Vol. 1: The Case of the Girl who took her Shampoo (But left her Mini) - Another comic which came about a Comixology Christmas period offer, Stumptown follows Dex Pairos, a PI with a few bad habits who finds she may have bit off a little more than she could chew when she takes a case to find a missing girl in order to clear a debt. Now, having read Lazarus, the Old Guard, Black Magick and a handful of Renee Montoya-focused stories, it's fair to say that Greg Rucka is one of my favourite writers. However, despite not really hearing of this series until the tv adaptation became a thing, I must admit that Stumptown is up there as one of my favourite of his works. I thought this was such an enjoyable read, with the character of DeX, for all her flaws, written like a nice amalgam of Jessica Jones and Renee Montoya. The plot felt truly PI-esque, like I'm reading a Harlan Coben novel, while the art, although a little rough, perfectly encapsulated the world and story. Stumptown is such a fun read that I've got to make picking up its remaining volumes a top priority.Total Reading Count - 32
So, a very good week as, not only did I read a bunch of titles which ranged on my enjoyment-meter from good to awesome, but all (except Afterlife Inc, which I'd read in December and only re-read for review purposes) were previously unread comics which can now be ticked off that particular list.
Next week, though, is my final week of travelling to work by bus and this means I significant drop in my reading time going forward. Hopefully, whatever I choose to read then can continue on from all the goodness of this past week.
For now though, I just need to find something to write about by then (although I have an idea).
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