Ken Aldred

One part of the classic 'Return of Barry Allen' storyline, top left, which isn't much use alone, and the rest are decent reads but really gap fillers until Waid kicks into top gear again with the Impulse storyline. Dollar bin fillers.

Waited for this one.

Full Metal Patina

Still waiting for the free PS5 remastered update for Fallout 4.

Metal Hurlant Howling or Screaming Metal (Is that metal enough? I think so.)

Both have produced great, classic comics. Both have produced unreadable, poorly-drawn drek. I switch between the two, sifting out the wheat from the chaff. Same with any other comic book publisher’s output.

Good name for a sludge metal band.

The Miscuts. Play on an existing punk band.

Two bands that did exist were The X-Men, and, Love and Rockets.

Len Ticular and The Variants Shaken Slab Syndrome Boston Copy (obviously a Boston cover band)

Always thought this character had only appeared in British newspaper strips.

The Wake 1 to 10 Some interesting ideas about flood myths and sea serpents and why they’re so common in many cultures, the first half is quite good, the second drags and for me has a so-so ending. Not one of Scott Snyder’s best. Always like Sean Murphy’s art, one of my favourite modern creators. 2024 total = 220

One complete, ultimate series. That would be the absolute peak for me, as CGC 10.2 doesn’t yet exist, though theorised in another thread here.

EC Weird Science 9.8, White pages Gaines File Copies

Good Spider-Verse character. Combination of classic hard-boiled, intense detective and Nazi Smasher in the comics.

I concur. I thought carpets were bad enough. Kevin's gone next level.

Yup. I know what you mean. Being OCD, I would never buy a slab that's been in contact with a potentially dirty carpet. Completely spoils it for me. Seriously, though, couldn't be made much worse.

Fair point. Same as with Bob Kane. The fans know the fuller history and who actually created what, and disregard specious claims. Personally, Thomas created a fictitious metal, and that’s about it. Minor involvement in the evolution of the character.

Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters 1 to 8 (2006 series) Well known for being political, but with certain aspects still relevant today. Actually quite a good, retro, team book story. 2024 total = 210

The start of Geoff Johns’ long, extremely consistent, and classic run.

Great post. A recrimination motivation is only addressing part of the spectrum. Sometimes, the individual might simply have had enough and sees no reason to continue with an appalling quality of life. That's personal experience, as my father had terminal emphysema, looked like an emaciated cancer patient, was housebound, couldn't care for himself, and killed himself in a very horrific way, which still gives me PTSD symptoms to this day. No note, no blaming anyone else, no transferral of responsibility, just abject, unremitting hopelessness. What I'm left with, though, is survivor's guilt, induced blame, that is, you wonder if you could've done far, far more to create a more comfortable, palliative environment, at the very least? In my father's case he didn't want to open up about his thoughts and be obstructed, and he only had a few months left at most, but, the level of ongoing, constant isolation and hopelessness he experienced must've been quite hellish. And, I totally agree, if anyone has that internal miasma to deal with, then reach out and talk about it. It's a cloud that needs to be dispelled not sustained, and I've seen it at its darkest.

I observe a lot of social ignorance in the neurotypical population. I'm not convinced the group's quite that superior. There's certainly far, far more of an innate, comfortable, instinctive ability to socially integrate which we lack to some degree, and that makes a big difference. Like anything, that ability can be interpreted as a grey area; caring and positive, or abusive and destructive. Superior? Hardly. That's flattery.

One mintier. It had to happen, sooner or later.