Comic Book Herald

A Comic Book Reading Order Guide For Beginners & Fans

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Previously On #111: 2020 Eisner Votes!

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The Eisners are the most well known awards in the comic book industries, selecting the best of comics since 1988, and named in honor of all time great cartoonist Will Eisner. Like all awards ceremonies, they share the trappings of imperfect systems, but winning an Eisner is clearly reason to celebrate for comic book creators and those in the industry.

After seeing a handful of creators and comics-industry folks sharing requests to vote for their work, I was surprised at the apparent openness of voting, like the Eisners were decided ala the NBA All-Star game fan vote. So, naturally, I registered to vote as a “journalist” (“obsessed, aging blogger” is more realistic, but way less impressive sounding), and was delighted to find I could vote! [Read more…] about Previously On #111: 2020 Eisner Votes!

Previously On #110: X-Men Milestones!

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This week on “Previously On,” I explore Marvel’s “X-Men Milestones” collections, considering the selected events and whether they provide an adequate exploration of X-Men comics history. The inspiration for the column is inspired by the following question.

Joshua asks via the X-Men reading order:

This guide is incredible, thank you for putting it together! i’m interested in reading the messiah complex storylines and subsequent related arcs; do you think the three new milestones trades (messiah complex, messiah war, and second coming) do a good job of covering the necessary material? and should i also read the necrosha milestones trade in the middle of there somewhere?

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Previously On #108: Why Do I Like Ice Cream Man So Much?

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As My Marvelous Year clubbers know, I like to highlight the near infinite number of different opinions co-host Zack and I have when it comes to comics. Leading examples include our ongoing feuds over the value of Stilt-Man, Alpha Flight, Secret Wars (although he’s come around on this one a bit!), and if I’m being honest the one that will always assure me I’m right, Fallen Angels.

Other examples are too numerous to even begin counting (see also: I, uh, can’t think of any right now), but Ice Cream Man is a notable recent highlight. I’ve been raving about the Image Comics horror anthology since it debuted in 2018, and as of the CBH best of 2020 so far list, I’d consider Ice Cream Man the best ongoing comic book of the year. Co-Host Zack has read some, and without malice, didn’t see why I’m so into it. After an MMY recording he asked me, and I’m paraphrasing, “Oh great one [that’s what he calls me, didn’t ask him to, but I don’t ask him *not to* either], why do you love Ice Cream Man so much?”

*Mild Spoilers for the comics follow*

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Wonder Woman Historia Part Seven: The Fast and The Furious

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Welcome! Historia is a brand new bi-monthly series that will be examining The Amazing Amazon’s rich history. The feature will span the war-haunted Golden Ages in which she was forged, through the sweeping currents of The Silver Age, the shifts of The Bronze Age, the trials of The Dark Age, all the way to The Renaissance and The Prismatic Age of the modern century.

We’ll be looking at and discussing the various influences and archetypal antecedents that underlie the Wonder Legend, the power of the conceits it upholds, the politics of the whole enterprise, the terrifying nature of myths and narratives, and how the character and property have changed, evolved, or even regressed. What is this curious little experiment that began under a polyamorous polymath psychologist that became an icon of the feminist movement and a vital corporate symbol? Let’s dig in.

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