Comics Catch Up: Dark Horse

As much as there is to go over, I want to start by exploring the numbers. My Dark Horse Digital Bookshelf had 61 titles.

That number alone doesn't that much. With some titles I had one issue, which usually had between 23 and 26 pages. Some issues had more pages (Dark Horse Presents #1 had 71), but also some had more books. I purchased 12 issues of Orchid for a class. The Hellboy bundle I bought had 77 issues of varying lengths.

There could also be some confusion over titles for different runs. There were separate Conan titles (King Conan, Conan, and Conan the Barbarian), four different Star Wars comics, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and Faith are stored as different titles, though one is Season 8 and one is Season 9, which does seem kind of connected.

Based on that, "61 titles" doesn't explain much about quantity, but I think it can be useful to point out that there were 14 titles I definitely want to read, 13 I possibly want to read, and 24 unlikely.

(For the 10 "Others", that includes thee series and a standalone book that I loved, two that I liked pretty well, one I did not care for as much, and three compilations.)

Obviously your level of satisfaction may vary, depending on where you are looking, but those are pretty good odds that seem about right. Read a good variety, and maybe you will love a quarter of them, and then like another quarter.

It happens on different levels. Sometimes there is an aesthetic that is gorgeous, and you just love to look at it, but also sometimes there is a harsh look that you wouldn't really like, except that it fits the story, and the story resonates with you. I tend to not like a lot of empty fights and explosions, but sometimes they don't feel empty.

Even then... Okay, The Victories was one of my least favorite titles, because it was really ugly and that only partially means the drawing style. It was always going to go on the "Unlikely" list. And yet, there is one thing the villain says in his monologue about the hero that is kind of true, and could play out in interesting ways. I don't think I want to know enough to read it, but I can't rule out that I will. Something down the road could remind me of it, and make it a more pressing question. (Or maybe after reading everything on "Definitely" and "Possibly", I will just decide to go for it.)

It can be hard to predict. I should be the target audience for Star Wars comics, based on how the original trilogy influenced me. I did not like The Clone Wars,  or Legacy,  or Empire. I did end up reading more of Star Wars: Darth Vader, because I thought it was going somewhere interesting. The library had the trade, and I read it, and then I didn't really like it. That doesn't mean I wouldn't at least try something focused on Poe Dameron.

I have never regularly watched any of the Joss Whedon shows, but Dollhouse and Angel & Faith are Definitely, and Serenity and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are probably.

That is a reason to be open to new things, and to take advantage of giveaways. Go to the stores on Free Comic Book Day. I have bought many comics, but when Dark Horse or Comixology have some special for getting free first issues, I take that. I recommend that. There are worse things than being on their mailing lists.

If there are creators whose previous work you love, it makes sense to check out their new work. I do love Hellboy, and will definitely be reading more on The Visitor, BPRD, Baltimore, and Abe Sapien. Therefore, if Mike Mignola were to announce a new project, it would only be reasonable to check it out. That is a good reason to take note of who is writing and drawing your comics.

Otherwise, titles on the Definitely list that have not been mentioned already consist of Ghost, Number 13, Mind MGMT, Colder, Usagi Yojimbo, and Alabaster.

Also, I mentioned the Conan comics, but not really anything about them. I will Definitely read Conan the Barbarian and Possibly read Conan and I am not surprised that these interesting titles involve Becky Cloonan and Kurt Busiek, respectively.