Oooooh. Now there's a thought.

My friends and I were trying to figure out what to do for Halloween, and the idea of being comic book characters came up, and I hadn't thought of Melaka Fray.

Quick, Kiba, grow a foot and lose 40 lbs by Halloween!

Need to make a run, don't think I have the last 2 issues. Yay Fray!

I read Final?Fray last night while waiting to lock up the office. Nifty. God I love the art and colors in it. And the letters were great!

I also cracked open Watchmen, but each panel is so packed with information and detail that I am going to have to set aside some quality reading time. Jeff and Plei are wise.

I really need a paper back of V For Vendetta, because I hate digging the individual issues out.

I read V For Vendetta in one weekend -- so damn good. Freaked me out, though. I still have From Hell sitting on my desk to be read, but I've been told to not read it at night.

I've got a bunch of V for Vendetta in the original Warrior (that is to say, properly b/w). Also some Marvelman before he was miraculous. And, of course, the original run of Swamp Thing with Moore.

I was lucky enough to be editing Amazing Heroes during the heydey of Miller and Moore, having The Watchmen, Elektra and Dark Knight as covers during my run.

Another comic high on my list is DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths. I am a fan of sheer total scope, and this series was a wonderful move, insofar as that it compressed the DCverse. Plus, seeing Darkseid try and save the day against the Anti-Monitor was an interesting creative device. The artwork involved in assembling so many characters in the 12-issue series was a solid effort.

Naturally, I'm also a fan of the Batman V. Dracula "Elseworld" trilogy, which included the gripping Bloodstorm middle chapter and the grotesque Crimson Mist finale. The operating principles of vampirism in the BVD arc are different than in the Buffyverse, but it makes for a good plot.

I like that Fray evolved as it did. The plot twist was at both surprising and not. Very Jossian.

So, Hec, any Gary Groth stories you care to share. The Harlan Ellison saga alone was quite eye-opening. Nobody came out of that looking very good. I think my comics era may have been just post your tenure, but I'm not sure.

So, Hec, any Gary Groth stories you care to share.

Heh. Uh, he went to Europe to talk to Crumb about putting out the Complete Crumb. So, he went to Amsterdam with Crumb and Aline, and they walked through the prostitute district. Aline was giving Gary a hard time about watching all the women in the windows and asking him what his fantasy was. Gary copped to the two girls fantasy, and with the Crumbs egging him on (and paying for it) - he did it.

Mmmm, going through the comics that I didn't give away so I can store them. Walt Simonson Thor. Complete Chaykin run of American Flagg (incredibly underrated series, I always thought). Mister X (a comic I re-read periodically just because I love seeing that city). Warrior with both Marvelman and V for Vendetta. Early Peter Milligan (Strange Days, Johnny Nemo). Entire run of Nexus (again, one of the most underrated comics ever). Kubert's Tarzan (brilliant, definitive I think). Stig's Inferno, Grendel, tons of Swamp Thing, Batman Year One (way better than Dark Knight, I think), Doom Patrol, about the entire run of Zot!; lots of Madman; Flaming Carrot; Aztec Ace; Starstruck (Elaine Lee and Mike Kaluta - pretty cool), original run of Mage.

Among the indie stuff: L&R complete (god, I hadn't seen those original covers in forever. #5 is so beautiful); Lloyd LLewllyn, Neat Stuff, Hate, Eightball, Desert Peach, Yummy Fur (including the original ending to Ed the Happy Clown which isn't in the TPB); True Swamp; Weirdo.

Keepers.

David S says that :"Batman Year One (way better than Dark Knight, I think),"

What makes Year One great is that we get a more noir-like Batman, and the plot deals with corruption, infidelity and pain. Dark Knight Returns is flamboyant and eccentric, still my personal favorite, but it's a different take on the genre.

Doom Patrol

Which version?

What makes Year One great is that we get a more noir-like Batman, and the plot deals with corruption, infidelity and pain. Dark Knight Returns is flamboyant and eccentric, still my personal favorite, but it's a different take on the genre.

That, and Batman giving Superman a well-deserved ass kicking. IJS.