THE LAUGHING M4N

Just spent the day going through long boxes of Valiant overstock sorting them into order I'm not familiar with the line bar reading some of the VEI titles last year but is Bloodshot and Rai the same character? The white skinned man with a red circle on his chest?

Last time Mike responded with an update in the group pm thread was the 13th of May after I'd stated I'd like a refund due to the lack of progress. He asked for my paypal address and that he'd made some headway with Ryan's rep and would pm details the following day.

Nothing heard of since... and I perceive there to be a lack of communication/updates and my private pm to him has still been unread as of the 15th of April.

I've heard of some challenging external factors but think enough patience has been extended after his last reply. I'm not the only one who's been disappointed how things have gone.

#20 was awesome. Definately not what I expected, but seems like its going. An interesting, more "everyday life" direction. And of course, space drugs.

Anyone know what the bandages on marko's face on the cover were in reference to?

Just a disguise Marko wears to venture outside I think besides no wanted posters or news about the fugitives anywhere which they reference in the previous issue.

Brian and Fiona sure do know how to nail the beats of the story in each issue. Always enjoy the first page of each issue which draws you in, there's usually a panel or page after the turn to emphasise an emotion and the last page always hits hard. Love this book

Received a slab that was packaged very well and despatched quickly. Perfect! (thumbs u

I'll send a blank if that's ok?

Edit: undecided on which option but definitely would like a spot

I hope people stop making threads or posts about deaths and twists without spoiler tags for the people who only follow the tv show and don't want to be spoiled about what may, or may not happen because of the comic book.

Wishful thinking I know

I've been buying the deluxe hardcovers but won't read anything until the show ends. Trying to avoid having things spoilt as best as I can

Cheers all

It was quite fortuitous getting that sketch after a mix-up in schedules with panels ending, the show closing and beginning of sketch opportunities all coinciding at the same time.

After waiting over 90 minutes in earnest by her empty table, and then hoping we could just confirm sketching start times for the next day after being told with about 20 mins to go it wouldn't happen, Jason (of Essential Sequential I believe) explained to Fiona upon her return, and she very generously agreed to stay behind for us fans and commence sketching immediately.

I imagine it was great news to the few I'd been queuing with who had to fly back abroad in the morning and even better for the young boy who travelled alone with permission, and had to catch a train back home straight after.

Fiona didn't have to, but her gesture was greatly appreciated

Yesterday was a good day collecting my slab

Bizarrely the old labels certification number is still valid on the certification tool I thought it would be amended with the new details but same number since the old label was sent back.

Hopefully the figures are correct and there hasn't been a +1 mistake skewing the census a little.

Anybody here own the sole green label version? I think it would look pretty cool with the colours of the cover

I just got in the 8300 and ma very pleased with the images. I'll ask again, does anyone know how to scan more than one image at a time. As in the fastest way possible.

 

Pretend there's a stack of 100 comics.

 

1. I dont' want to have to preview each image

Or if I do, I don't want to have to crop it every single time.

2. Can I set the dpi, color and lighting for all images to something other than default.

3. Is there a way to not "save to file" each individual scan.

 

I think I have 2. figured out as it seems to keep the settings from image to image, but can't solve 1 and 3.

I'm using the HP 8200 and spent last night scanning 136 images using the default HP imaging software.

1) Once you hit scan and it opens the "HP imaging" window, if you go into scanning preferences, you should be able to disable the preview option. I prefer using it to highlight any dust etc... just in case.

2) The first time it previewed I adjusted the preferences (resolution, colour) rescan to accept the changes, manually cropped and saved that setting and cropping dimensions as a "scanning profile".

So for all other scans, once the preview is done, I load the "CGC profile" see the immediate crops and colour changes and hit accept to scan.

3) I've not found a way for this to be my default scanning profile, or skip the save as portion, but it cuts down a fair bit of time

I've noticed a large range in the quality of encapsulation with dust inside, and the barex sometimes causing light to reflect back in random places.

That and some of the 2nd hand slabs have been in the wars

Plenty to discuss in today's issue Why do we have to wait till May for #19

It was on my pull list because I wanted to support it with advance orders. I then dropped it to pick off the shelves when it started to miss dates, now have just dropped it to eventually read as a trade if my interest still pertains to it whenever that may be.

There's plenty of books that I enjoy and ship on time, so when a new issue comes out, the last few are still relatively fresh in my memory. It's a chore to have to re-read past issues just to understand what's going on in the latest (delayed) release. I want to re-read comics because I enjoyed them, not because I have to.

I do like the book but I place more appreciation of books that can be enjoyable and on time and recommend those to my friends.

Nothing like explaining to them why they can't read the next issue if they enjoyed the free issues I send them to encourage more readers.

It's cool that Nick pops in and posts a few comments without going nuclear on a lot of the negativity throughout this thread, so here is my reasoning for dropping the book:

I've enjoyed the story and both artists but I can't shake the perception that it is a perpetually late book. I could be wrong, but my recollection is going into shops and not seeing the book when it was due according to solicitations from Riley's last few issues to Ryan's run on art duties.

Has anyone got solicited dates and when they actually went on shelves for sale?

So it may have 11 in 14 months, but shipping delays hurt (for whatever reason), particularly when a reader really enjoys it and wants to see it succeed. A dedicated schedule like Saga has would benefit this book IMO. Solicited dates that ship on time and with breaks of a few months to allow creators to recharge, new readers to catch up on trades and jump on for the new arc.

FYI, I do think Nick's Superior Foes of Spider-Man is a great book that everyone should be reading just in case this comes across as a bashing post.

April i believe

Thanks I'm hoping they'll do a hardcover using the RRP image one day

How long have other comics by BKV been? Here's to however long the story needs to be fully fleshed out and rewarding for readers and the creators! It's great to see the same creators continually work on a series aka Lee/Kirby, Bendis/Bagley etc...

Just hoping neither BKV or Fiona get bored and want to do other projects for a long time

Don't leave, Slym. If you don't want to ask the questions here, you can PM me. Trying to find an answer in 800+ pages is going to be like finding needle in a haystack.

Burn the haystack

When is the third tpb due?

I figured this was coming, it's too good of an image not to have a print of.

Luckily I didn't pay anything for my limited print (my poor sister lined up for hours, whilst I was travelling to Thought Bubble) and as Pete has mentioned, it is a different size and has a Gosh stamp and numbering on the back.

The hiatus is going to be tough! At least there's next weeks issue to look forward to

Just finished #3 Quite a lot of content for a $2.99 book and enjoying it a lot. There's a spoiler for The Great Gatsby however, if you've not read the book or watched the movie.

 

 

.. I loved when Archie, when questioned if he likes Betty or Veronica more, stated he'd be waffling over it for 70 years.. awesome.

Exactly! My aunt sent over an Archie digest and my sister and I fought over it when we were kids. I always thought Archie was the man but actually, he's the biggest in comics! I can't help read this expecting laughs like the usual Archie comics and always have to correct myself that it's a horror.

Loved Veronica's cattiness towards Betty in this one! A little worried that they're killing off the characters a little too quickly though.

Just finished #3 Quite a lot of content for a $2.99 book and enjoying it a lot. There's a spoiler for The Great Gatsby however, if you've not read the book or watched the movie.

Joe helped me in finally acquiring 4 comics that he had graded at CGC after months of trawling the internet, eBay and WTB threads and having no luck!

Very friendly and informative messages, great pricing and has a great eye for 9.8 candidates that he offered a fantastic deal if they didn't grade. Updates with serial numbers and large scans and shipped to a USA boardie promptly and securely on my behalf.

Can't wait to finally get them

First time deal with Joe, won't be my last (thumbs u Thank you!

A question for anyone who's gotten a sketch on the back of #1 (slabbed or unslabbed).

 

Was there any bleed through or warping to the back cover, particularly as it's white, and how did you present your book to Fiona? I'd like to follow the SS window bagging guide as I've done in the past but I've never gotten a sketch before and wouldn't want to offend her, or any artist if I presented a book in a bag with a backing board etc...

 

Thanks for any advice (thumbs u

 

I've done a handful - never had any bleed-through and I just handed her the book in a signing back with the back facing outwards.

Thanks for the response (thumbs u

A question for anyone who's gotten a sketch on the back of #1 (slabbed or unslabbed).

Was there any bleed through or warping to the back cover, particularly as it's white, and how did you present your book to Fiona? I'd like to follow the SS window bagging guide as I've done in the past but I've never gotten a sketch before and wouldn't want to offend her, or any artist if I presented a book in a bag with a backing board etc...

Thanks for any advice (thumbs u

Bought a few copies and found 2 inch tears on the inside pages in a few of them.

Managed to exchange for new ones. Shop owner said they've found the same in a whole bunch of them. Anyone else experienced the same thing?

I found the same thing whilst browsing through one on Wednesday. I assumed it was someone else who'd just been mishandling it.

2nd print of #1 was released today as well. All copies had some unsightly print roller(?) smears along the spine on the white cover and definitely weren't as flat as copies of #1 or #2. A sort of waviness to the stock.

Nothing a press wouldn't sort out anyway but the marks could make it more difficult for anyone slabbing. Anyway, I've enjoyed the story and art so far, on my standing order now

Was #9 good?

Something about my perceived impression of it's release schedule, combined with the tone of the content and dull colours of the cover art is fatiguing my interest.

It isn't anywhere near as bad in terms of release as NWM but something isn't clicking and I've no idea but feel as it could be left in limbo.

I'm either thinking of switching to trades as I couldn't do what some of you would do and wait for it to appear in your pickups or just dropping it completely.

If and whenever NWM #6 shows up, I won't be buying it as I won't support such a poorly released title. There are so many other titles that deserve a look so its a constant fight for your money.

My question is, why do I feel like this with Bedlam, a book I've enjoyed since the first issue, and does anyone else feel like this?

Bought some blanks and had them forwarded within the USA. Great comms, very friendly and kept me in the loop with a tracking reference.

Perfectly happy and would confidently buy again!

My 9.8 and two raws don't have those black ink smudges, will try and dig them out over the weekend and post pictures, just in the middle of trying to break up my collection so a lot of stuff is stacked everywhere.