Vertigo TPBs

[whitmore_sean]

Just a few quick questions...

BOOKS OF MAGIC: I've read the first three or four TPBs of this book(excluding the original mini-series), and while I loved the beginning, I didn't much care for the direction it was heading. What's the general consensus on the later issues of the book? Has the rest of the series been collected up until the end? And how about the following mini-series NAMES OF MAGIC or AGE OF MAGIC?

HELLBLAZER: This is a book I've always wanted to get into, but it's just so blasted LONG. Is this a series where it's important to follow it from the beginning? Or could I just go ahead and pick up a TPB during the Garth Ennis or Paul Jenkins issues with no problems? I was tempted to pick up the latest one ("Dangerou Habits" or something?) but I was afraid I'd be totally lost.

Also, have any of the 100 BULLETS issues been collected yet?

Am I off for not understanding and/or enjoying THE INVISIBLES?

TRANSMETROPOLITAN is supposed to be good, right?


Thanks,


SEAN
"I think we can trust the president of CUBA..."

[Clayface]

Originally posted by whitmore_sean

BOOKS OF MAGIC: I've read the first three or four TPBs of this book(excluding the original mini-series), and while I loved the beginning, I didn't much care for the direction it was heading. What's the general consensus on the later issues of the book? Has the rest of the series been collected up until the end? And how about the following mini-series NAMES OF MAGIC or AGE OF MAGIC?



Unfortunately, for a while, The Books of Magic really got off track. As you've seen, the first few collections are really good, but then, unfortunately, John Rey Neiber gets really wierd and somewhat uninteresting with his writing. Eventually, Peter Gross took over the writing for the series, and did a fantastic job - in my opinion, almost as good as Gaiman. Unfortunately, the title only lasted about 12 issues after Gross took over.

Names of Magic and Age of Magic completely suck. Don't waste your money.




HELLBLAZER: This is a book I've always wanted to get into, but it's just so blasted LONG. Is this a series where it's important to follow it from the beginning? Or could I just go ahead and pick up a TPB during the Garth Ennis or Paul Jenkins issues with no problems? I was tempted to pick up the latest one ("Dangerou Habits" or something?) but I was afraid I'd be totally lost.



Hellblazer is pretty much like any other long running comic out there - you just gotta jump in somewhere and start picking it up. Luckily, back issues of this title can be fairly cheap, so I just went back and collected everything from the beginning. But, I think you should be able to jump in anywhere and get the general idea.

Right now Azzarello is doing a number of two, three, four, and five part stories. You could jump on with any of those - they each pretty much stand alone.




Also, have any of the 100 BULLETS issues been collected yet?



Yes, there are quite a few collected volumes of 100 Bullets.




Am I off for not understanding and/or enjoying THE INVISIBLES?

TRANSMETROPOLITAN is supposed to be good, right?



Don't know - haven't read either of them.

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,


Originally posted by whitmore_sean
HELLBLAZER: This is a book I've always wanted to get into, but it's just so blasted LONG. Is this a series where it's important to follow it from the beginning? Or could I just go ahead and pick up a TPB during the Garth Ennis or Paul Jenkins issues with no problems? I was tempted to pick up the latest one ("Dangerou Habits" or something?) but I was afraid I'd be totally lost.


For what it's worth, I started reading Hellblazer monthly with "Dangerous Habits." IMO, one of the best of the Garth Ennis run. Some of the other arcs got too weird or to gratuitously gory for my tastes. At least from that time forwards, they're pretty good about telling you what you need to know about the characters in question.

Do yourself a favor and either find Hellblazer #27 or get the miscellaneous Neil Gaiman stories TPB which reprints it.

-- Ed/Ace