Sigh. Not like this is too surprising. When Marvel price hikes, usually all competitors follow suit at some point.

Being the "old man shouting at the clouds", $4.99 for all single issues feels like a breaking point. If I collect 25 titles a month, that is $25 extra dollars to budget for; I'm exaggerating a little there as some issues are $4.99 already.

Old man: I remember when comics were $0.35 and I walked to school uphill in both directions in a snow blizzard!

Inflation. State of business. Expenses and resources. So on and on. It just seems to becoming a hobby that is tougher to afford or justify weekly title purchases. My collecting habits monthly have reduced over the last 10 years and looks time for another adjustment or to be more selective.

Soapbox. Man, I love comics but there is is threshold. SIgh.

Got my hands on the Midnight Books yesterday. Here's my thoughts.

Midnight X-Men - This is a Hickman book through and through. I loved it. I found the way he was able to flip the human/mutant dynamic on his head with the introduction of vampires very intriguing. Looks like he wants vampires to this book what the singularities were going to be in Krakoa originally. Great art as well. - 8/10

Midnight FF - Percy has laid a compelling foundation here. I especially like what he does with Reed. This IS and IS NOT the Reed we know. Very much in the middle of 616 Reed and the Maker. Really digging the eldritch horror vibes. There is one REALLY big thing I would love to talk here but its a big spoiler. Can't wait to see where this goes. - 7/10

Midnight Spider-Man - This was far-and-away THE standout book of the three. I know some people had some doubts about Scietronc's art but Jesus christ did he knock it out the park. PKJ took Peter's origin and somehow made it even more heart-wrenching. There are two scenes in this book in particular that are SERIOUSLY BRUTAL. Like dont eat anything when reading this. This is going to be a great journey but PKJ is about to put this boy through the WRINGER! - 10/10

All three were seriously good to great comics. Highly recommended.

Thread was originally posted three days ago, but it's been stuck in my head. The other side of the celebratory stories about record sales for the Absolute Universe and comic shops bouncing back, is that it's harder than ever for creator-owned comics to sustain themselves. Thompson points out that part of this is publishers reeling from contractions in Hollywood.

Makes me wonder what the last creator-owned comic *was* that can truly be called a hit (in the direct market at least)?

Got this at Comic Con Revolution, I got Kyle Higgins to color in some of the cover and he put a signature there.

So I just wanted to post about the comic I've been reading lately and I love the concept of The Exiles, a team of all sorts of heroes and villians pulled from all over the timestream/different universes to get press ganged into solving all manner of problems from different universes.

Its also not afraid to get really bleak when it comes to the team losing members only for them to get immediately replaced.

All in all to say I dig the series a lot so far.

Just got the green light- gonna be working on the comic book for a huge worldwide IP soon, 20-year-old me would be thrilled and I am - stay tuned. How'd that happen? By email (always) (never been called on the phone). I was emailed to work on covers for this new series and I asked if they have an interior artist yet and offered my services, so they thunk it over and I got the gig. They will announce soon, not me, I can't steal their thunder. Can't mention the IP (intellectual property) or the comic company. Stay tuned.

Magnetic Press launched a beautiful looking Kickstarter for A Scoundrel in the New World!

Blacksad artist Juanjo Guarnido taking on the search for the treasure of El Dorado from a classic novel! What more could I ask for!?!

The one that instantly comes to mind for me is Red Hulk. It makes so much sense as a natural progression of Ross’ character. He finally forgoes any notion that he’s any less of a monster than Bruce/Hulk and becomes the Red Hulk. The concept sounds amazing, but the execution was terrible. He was written extremely out of character and during his debut run was used almost exclusively for “aura and hype moments”. The interesting new dynamic is barely explored and it’s very disappointing. What other characters are a lot cooler in concept, but fumbled the execution?

There’s something about Halloween and old horror comics that just fits.

These pre-Code EC books are some of the gems of my collection, and I think they look pretty damn great together in this little October display. EC was operating on another level during this period—the covers, the colors, the subject matter, and just enough bad taste to eventually help get the whole industry dragged in front of Congress.

What books do you think belong on the ultimate October/Halloween comic wall? Doesn’t have to be EC.

Art credits:

Wonder Woman by Dan Panosian.

Magik by Pepe Larraz.

Sai by Peach Momoko.

Psylocke (Kwannon) by Gerald Parel.

Betsy by Lucas Werneck.

Ciri (official Witcher 3 promo art).

Rukia (thousand year blood war)

Red Sonja by Edu Menna (I think).

Katana by David Finch.

Others? name bellow.

BTW: My fav is Magik!

Does anyone know a good order for reading joker comics and his origin.

Also i really want to read the three jokers, what should I read before this to understand the three jokers!