Comics Have Me Pulling My Hair Out In 2024

[@tomfink7505]

“Comics will break your heart, kid." ~ Jack Kirby

[@jamesortiz3425]

The only way to inform the Comic book industry that with many Writers AGENDA'S. IS TO Not buy There crap!! I stopped buying NEW comics, and am having a wonderful time looking for back issues from the 80's 90's 2000's!!!! And having a fantastic time reading Thousands of awesome stories that I never even knew existed!!!!? And, personally, I don't believe I'll ever go back to paying 5 to 10 dollars for one stupid comic book anymore!! When I can get fabulous books for 10. to one dollar comic books!! Thanks D.C,.. Marvel and all those idiots for showing me the LIGHT!!! 🤔🤗🤭🙃

[@rachetmarvel931]

​@jamesortiz3425 Tell Spiderman fans that,those mofos buy anything with him in it,even when the writer goes to extreme length to ruin the character 😂.

[@mikem3543]

@@jamesortiz3425that’s too bad, man. There’s some really good stuff out there right now.

[@MatthewLoh-ru1mw]

Looks like he was right ALL ALONG!

[@ps2gamingforever364]

As a Marvel fan since the early 70s, for me 2024 is pretty great. Each and every month there is tons of Epic Collections and Omnis of their classic stories, and they often get reprinted. Marvel is also doing the Remaster works, trying to improve the images as much as possible. They also got the license back to reprint classic stories like Micronauts, Rom, and Godzilla. Marvel also is allowing Fantagraphics to release tons of classic Atlas comics and Marvel stories. This year also had Titan start releasing the classic Marvel years of Conan omnis , and Image just released the Marvel years GI Joe Compendium. So much great content is out and it is impossible to keep up. There is more than enough classic stories to last anyone's lifetime.

[@ensabahnur7657]

Also as a Comic fan since the mid 70s 2024 mostly been garbage that can't be recycled & will continue getting worse because Warner & Disney only care about promoting agendas regardless of whatever consequences of the companies they own because of it!💯📠

[@PubeStache]

Does Marvel still edit out cigarettes and cigars from reprints?

[@ricrey431]

I like rants. I know I have more time than most to watch/listen to longer videos, but I do hope you keep posting these when one brews. When finances are more stable, I definitely wanna join your Patreon for the unabridged, unadulterated content from you, Sparrow, and Dok.

[@clonedavenger]

Man, I just read the good books. As a huge Green Lantern fan, I've been feeling good since Adams took over. Really enjoy Scott Snyder's Batman & the other Absolute titles. Ultimate Spider-Man & Wolverine Revenge too. I don’t have a massive pull list though. If I was reading 30-40 Marvel/DC titles, I'd probably be feeling the same way. Also, I'd say Geoff Johns has been great with fans. I do pick up quite a few Ghost Machine books too.

[@WTSD850]

I'm honestly glad I'm getting a chance to read some of the older comics out there

[@MattGinger-v5y]

Same. Which ones are you enjoying? I've been reading everything Darwyn Cooke, guy was so freakin' awesome.

[@ZiKoN22]

January, It will be just Ultimate Spider-man, Ultimate Wolverine, and Deadpool Wolverine for me from Marvel. Marvel has had the same problem for years, quantity over quality.

[@tammydj9941]

Thank you man for giving voice to the anger and frustration I feel for several years, in these last 10 years at least, because of all the disrespect both deecee and marvel have inflicted on their IPs. I'm still looking at some indies title. But I'm still buying a variant cover, one or two, done by artists I like. Generally, I gave up any lingering hope both deecee and marvel managements will change for the better, like the way I remember the 70 80 and 90s. Sooper thanks Wes!

[@koomer1459]

There is such a thing as comics burnout! That’s rough having to read so many books every week all in time for your show. Maybe you could switch it up in 2025 and review classics that you haven’t read, maybe some Marvel Epic Collections and the like? We’d love to see you and Perch take those on in a long form conversation.

[@kevinclark8356]

It's been a rough year. I was going to give up comics altogether, when Ed Piskor died. Then, I remember what he said at the end of very video he did. Keep Reading Comics. And I will, but not from Marvel, DC and Dark Horse. Hopefully, next year will be better. Hopefully.

[@COwens]

My top 10 Danzig/Bisley - Hellmask Segura/Borges - Dick Tracy Ennis/Burrows - Babs Tynion/Ward - Spectregraph Snyder/Francavilla - White Boat Shalvey/O'Sullivan - The Terminator Barnes/Kudranski - Johnny Gatlin Thompson/Jok - The Body Trade Starks/Hotz - Lobo Cancellation Special Abnett/Harrison - The Out

[@madbug1965]

I'm down to three books a month. My LCS' pull box has really shrunk down to just a few people. I'm not really enjoying the books I'm buying and I haven't read any of them in the last three months. I just buy them out of habit . 2025 could be my last year..

[@sidneyrivera3578]

Yeah, spending definitely shifted towards the Indie in 2024.

[@Leshil]

The last few months by Marvel sales are way down. When Ultimate Spider-Man launched I was selling a decent amount of Marvel. Not now. Most of what I sell is DC and Indie.

[@mohammadbashammakh]

Seems like we complain about every leap year and call it the worst We complained about 2016 We complained about 2020 And we are complaining about 2024

[@ricrey431]

An interesting observation. I hadn't paid attention to those being leap years. Any predictions for 2028?

[@mohammadbashammakh]

@@ricrey431 yes , we will probably complain about it too

[@missmeme3946]

notice that this happened after the new52 ???

[@Namelbmert]

Stan and Jack would disavow any connection with the current state of Marvel. I was lucky enough to have met them both through family and convention connections. I quit buying new comics a little over 2 decades ago and quit comic book movies when wokeness took over. My collection brings me joy daily and my appreciation of English literature perseveres.

[@johnr.e.789]

Woke? Is that criticism ? Woke is so 2023. Where's the real writers and artists? Today's youth writing floppies simply lack the inspiration of Stan Lee and his chosen successors. Everybody agrees blacks. Women. Gays. All have their place. How does American comics make heroes these days? They don't. It's simply readers today do not appreciate the mythic godly worlds the comics were originally based on. Religion is anathema to people today. God's? Good luck with that. Kids relate to coffee more than superheroes. After all, the president elect loves to draw himself as a buff, muscular freedom saving hero but we all know he's not. Reality is there are no more or less real heroes. We just don't hear about the little guy anymore. We only hear from the bullies. They are the real winners in 2024.

[@guide3116]

Why not just stop reading comics all together if it makes you so unhappy.

[@HereComesCALICO]

Thank you to Wes, and Comics Aficionados, for telling true comic book fans the truth. Indies rule!

[@saiyan_spawn4204]

We’re all right there with you, Wes. I can’t wait for your Worst of the Year list!

[@Vader_25]

11:11 According to Comichron, only Grant Morrison's Batman Inc. and Batman & Robin sold worse than Zdarsky's Batman.

[@ryanwilliams7639]

Jokes on them, they are beneath us. They get paid very little money, warehouse workers get paid more and have more benefits than them. Comic writers are looked down upon by majority of people.

[@ComicBookMuscle]

Honestly, I look at most comic book writers as people that were too lazy to learn to draw. There are exceptional writers though as few and far in between there are. The difference from the exceptional to the dregs is these writers learned their craft to such an extent that they can paint images in our minds through words and draw out an emotional response. The power of the written word.

[@EvandroACruz]

Yes Wes , 2024 sucked so much T-T. I gave up from X-Men comics forever after Fall Of X,one of worst things that I've read in my life.ASM was awful too(thanks Wells) and the entire Avengers line is average in the best. Marvel is almost unreadable right now. Ultimate Spider-man started strong but starts to drag already. DC have better things like Batman Off-World,but I feel that indies are doing a very bette job. I'm reading terror comics like EC-Epitaphs From The Abyss of Oni Press.And I'm reading mangas again. X-Men 97 was the best thing of this year for me. Make me miss the times when the X-Men were true heroes. We lost great talents of theindustry like John Cassaday. I lost any hope for Marvel but I hope that things improve in 2025.

[@karaoconnoraliasraidra]

Any Avengers series created with the philosophy of “It doesn’t matter who else is on the team as long as Carol Danvers is there! She’s the only one anyone really wants to see, right?” is bound to fail.

[@EvandroACruz]

@@karaoconnoraliasraidra Yes,she make every team boring.

[@Avarn388]

To be honest, Wes this year I’ve read more modern comics but I noticed it wasn’t big two stuff. My favorite comic this year is Rook Exodus, but comics like space ghost, Flash Gordon, Transformers and Conan were stuff outside the big two. The only big two comic I remotely checked out was Ultimate Spider Man. And I didn’t even keep up with that because it has been a chore to read weekly. Hickman’s style works better for trade and not issue release which annoys me. All in all, there’s nothing that the big two have done to really get me back on board. If it isn’t ideological pandering, it is constant events, retcons and poor writing that have kept me away. And why I just go back to back issues of older better work. I recently secured Batman and the Outsiders from a long box and that comic had more going for it than a majority of the modern big two comics.

[@Alex-yx5qh]

Have you been reading the other Ghost Machine books as well? Geiger and Redcoat were awesome!

[@Alex-yx5qh]

I would also really encourage you to give Batman and Robin by PKJ a chance. Genuinely the best Batman book we have had since Tomasi on Tec imo, awesome so far

[@Avarn388]

@@Alex-yx5qhI do love Tomasi. His Superman run was fantastic.

[@littlekaiju8377]

Captain Marvel is cancelled again?!! Oh Nooo - well anyway.

[@MWLynch100]

I was wondering if Dark Horse was still moving forward with Alex de Campi book and yep, still slated for release less than two weeks before April 1st. So eff that publisher.

[@stevenlelito1013]

For the first time in my comic collecting, I stopped collecting X-Men 😭

[@doommega]

excellent Video Lil Brah this one is Out the park!

[@blunderingfool]

If you want something that'll cheer you up, try a few web comics: Faux Pas, Freefall, The Whiteboard, Carry On (Magpie House Design), Slackwrym, Pet foolery, Pixie and Brutus, Litterbox Comics. All really good web-comics!

[@warrenweaver6664]

I just don’t the art on 90% of comics these days everything is mid at best or just god awful at worst.

[@PubeStache]

Aren't you excited for Marvel doing something that DC already did a year prior? Godzilla vs Marvel..

[@TheGuyInTheCheapSeats]

Godzilla will face all challengers.

[@reads.]

Thanks for your honest year-in review, Wes. Spot on, to say the least! 🫡

[@dennisd4452]

That's all l read in the 80 was GI Joe from Larry Hama. 20:45 Great stuff.

[@johnstylz7867]

This is one of your more "fair & balanced" videos. I still disagree with you mostly but this was a better critique. Well done.

[@ZekeWilson513]

Don’t forget the terrible Wolverine in uncanny as well

[@spinningtornado4543]

You mean Ground Bear, right ?

[@tcnkal]

Loved Jupiter’s Legacy. Millar has moved into the “legendary” writer ranks imo. Absolute Batman is fun. Dragotta on East of West is an all timer for me. This may become another too of stack read for me. Agree with most everything you said. Merry Christmas 😊

[@spinningtornado4543]

Not buying anything out of Marvel this entire year was the best new year resolution I made at the start of 2024 : My mental health has improved drastically and my wallet is alive and thriving. I am forever thankful for Marvel to have made me hate, *absolutely hate* , franchises that made up my childhood and *despise* characters I used to admire, all in less than 5 years may I add, so that not checking up on either for 366 days didn't feel like I was truly missing out on something valuable. Marvel wins 2024's Darwin Award as the publishing company that managed to kill many of its profitable IPs, mess up so many of its beloved characters and still go on to insult its fans behind their backs for their own terrible management and decision-making initiatives... Those QRcodes were one of the many middle fingers they want you all to forget about and, for your own sakes, I hope you all never do and keep reminding them of their stupid move. Like Marvel keeps reminding you all of the terrible Krakoa era against your will, time and time again.

[@Alex-yx5qh]

I would disagree that dcs current state is similar to dawn of dc. All the books that got good during dawn of dc still exist and are still good for the most part, and all in has added like 5 more really solid ongoings on top of that. The only marvel comic id consider worth reading atm is ultimate Spider-Man, at dc, im enjoying Nightwing, absolute batman, superman, worlds finest, batman and robin, batman and robin year one, green lantern, green arrow, jsa and even surprisingly tec by tom Taylor. In addition to that theres a bunch of books on the horizon that I'm super excited for, from absolute flash, to Aquaman, to green lantern corps to hush 2 - i think dc legitimately has momentum and a ton of books worth reading right now. Is it dc rebirth? No, not that good, but if im being honest, in terms of how many books im picking up it isnt far off

[@ryanwilliams7639]

No dc has went downhill since then. Batman and TEC got worse and still sucks under Tom and his weird political tropes. Action comics sucks, Superman is just okay. Green arrow is okay. Flash still sucks. World’s finest has been just okay for a while. Titans sucks. Nightwing has gotten worse. Green lantern is really the only thing that’s great.

[@JeffJak]

I agree. I've gone from mostly Marvel and indies and no DC to no Marvel and mostly DC and indies. And they've got more new books on the horizon that I'll check out.

[@Slitheringpeanut]

Oh, it's just beginning.

[@mistwoodpublishing9963]

I actually really enjoy absolute Wonder Woman so far. The art is unique but it works for me.

[@Jenner2057]

Very small quibble Wes, but Hama's GI Joe: ARAH isn't Energon Universe. It's a standalone book and not connected. Love your vids!!!

[@ericburke9490]

I’ve all but given up on the Big Two, but luckily Mad Cave, Vault, Titan, Image are all putting out some good books. And there’s always the dollar bins to collect some well written old comics.

[@charlesharrison1907]

The comics at Marvel and DC have been pretty below mid. The comic pros need to hold people accountable for their actions and behaviors.

[@mikem3543]

I heard there was a Solomon Kane title coming next year. Just a lil pumped about this, for sure. Not sure who’s on it, but I think Zub and de la Torre (the original Titan Conan combo) would be awesome on a Kane title.

[@PureMaddnessOne]

The word phobic is based of the name of the Greek God Phobos, whom is the Greek God of fear. Spider-society is so bad, they had Spider-gay (1 of the fanmade/Spidersona characters that is made offical and 1 of the awful ones) trying 2 dunk on Spider-Ham of all spider-ppl, Spider-ham is 1 of the most beloved Spider variants that exist.

[@TonyMcfly1833]

I feel you..speaking facts

[@sunnywaffles]

My pull list is Titains, absolute wonder woman, batman, i wanna get into GL ad flash but idk. Question and Justice unlimited. I want an indie book but i feel really late. Cause i want tmnt, and transformer

[@sunnywaffles]

Plastic man no more!!!

[@johnvankirk5328]

Comics are comics you like what you like the stuff you dont like you dont read ...theres no reason to get upset...The industry wont change. Just read what you like save the stress .

[@dylanlindsay6794]

Wes I do like the cut of your jib. I'm Just waiting for you to make a KZbin membership for your page 😂

[@KardboardKenny]

the Energon and Conan are the only western funny books i read. so i'm good

[@john-zi9su]

Wait until 2025 if you think this year was bad. Though I am excited Jackie Estacado The Darkness is returning in Witchblade next month. Hoping for an ongoing series.

[@mikem3543]

As much as I’d like to continue ignoring marvel, I gotta admit I’m a little pumped for the upcoming Doom stuff.

[@destro47]

I would argue the Hulk is garbage too. The story was intentionally dragged out to have Charlie get powers in issue 800. The series is not even about the Hulk, it's about Charlie. The art from Danny Earls is awful, has nothing to do with Nic Klein either being unable to do every issue, or Marvel not wanting to pay him.

[@mikem3543]

Yeah, that Danny earls art is pretty bad. The first issue he showed up was so shocking I almost dropped the book on the spot.

[@Deathwing2001]

All the best new comics I’ve read this year have all been from the Indy’s, like Image, Dynamite and Mad Cave. Unfortunately Marvel and DC keep putting out mediocre crap from the same hacks they keep employing for years and years. It’s sad to see the most iconic comic book characters of all time being handled by just incompetent idiots nowadays

[@wraith6776]

Absolute stuff is basically an opposite game.

[@MattGinger-v5y]

2024 has been the Great Depression of Creativity

[@user-ek4nh8oq8f]

Comics are like TV shows. Writers simply run out of new ideas. How many times can a superhero fight the same villain decade after decade? Once comics & TV jump the shark, you know it is over. I read lots more indies than Marvel/DC combine. They have new characters & fresh stories.

[@tiny_dan9184]

Marvel is becoming the new Zeno scope. Great covers and nothing on the inside, no matter who you hire.

[@cincinnatuscincinnatus8541]

Monsters, Frankenstein, Fearless Dawn, some Batman stuff was really good in 2024

[@jedyty4219]

Ghost Machine - Awesome Energon - Awesome All In - lots of fun Absolute- Awesome Ultimate- Awesome I guess I’m glad I’m not a reviewer, so I only read what I enjoy and my pull list is at 40 now.

[@Alex-yx5qh]

Agreed. I would still say marvel is in pretty rough shape, but I massively disagree with Wes about DC not being in good shape - All in is dope so far!

[@CoreyAdolfi]

Same. I’m reading all of these and they’re pretty great.

[@ricrey431]

I'm pushing rooking numbers in comparison. I only had five on my pull list, and just upped it to eight a few days ago. I'm doubting if I should've, but guess I'll see.

[@EvandroACruz]

Ulltimate line sucks.

[@andrewheard3099]

Wes, what did you think about the first couple issues of Barbarella by Dynamite?

[@mikem3543]

More and more of it is coming down to the art. I just don’t understand why a company would make a MAJOR product launch with a bad artist. That art in Wonder Woman is atrocious. In half the panels, she’s actually homely. I’m like, wtf? THAT is Wonder Woman? Don’t even get me started on the art in the latest Superman titles. Well, until Mora showed up for Superman thank god. That stuff Campbell was doing, especially during the Zatanna arc, was pretty bad. I mean, the story was bad too, but might have been stomachable if not for the cartoony art. Action Comics is no better, and might actually be worse, cuz we are subjected to the bad art every dang week. Clayton Henry cannot get off that book soon enough. Idk, maybe it’s cuz my current read of Justice League New 52 is spoiling me, lol. Sporting the likes of Lee and Fabok, the art in that run is absolutely TOP NOTCH. I mean, way, way, way far above and beyond anything in the current Superman titles. Anyways.....

[@johnvankirk5328]

The best writers and artists are on independent books because marvel and dc dont want to pay them what they deserve

[@mikem3543]

Bi-monthly Rook: Exodus would be absolutely fine.

[@bradhogue2029]

I know what you're saying.

[@mikem3543]

The very first Danny Earl stand-in Hulk Issue.... man, that art was SO bad, it was shocking. He’s been a little better in the last one or two, but that very first one was chin-droppingly bad. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

[@WTSD850]

I'm glad jim zub found groove

[@Framer_Mike]

Ice cream man got woke af last issue.. smgdh

[@mattusher2916]

Yeah, Geiger is a very good read. Love his they’re now exploring the world.

[@gavsmi6452]

Uncanny is basically a Rogue book with appearances from others. (Also, agree, weird dialogue from Rogue). X-men by Mackay is meh. Exceptional... please. As for Ultimate Spiderman. Its ok, but it's soooo slow. Marvel needs a cold water thrown in its face. Wake up! On the plus side, Energon Universe was good.

[@spinningtornado4543]

Uncanny is a Rogue book if Rogue was Gail Simone making her best Rogue impression without knowing much about Rogue to begin with.

[@jasonirizarry9619]

Ollie's cheap trades and dollar bins for me, my fellow comic readers, prices for floppies are past what I consider value for my buck, the once big two don't cut it for me and if I do want something from them, you got trades a plenty and cheap on multiple platforms, the indies make great stuff yet I can wait for the trades too. Save money and gas to trip to the comic shop

[@natemachado9113]

Just breathe....breathe...relax...having gone through 3 decades of this it's never as bad as you think. You never read all those craptacular books of the 90's that came out. Man good chunk those will eat a hole in your stomach Wes. WTF20.

[@JosephRockford]

Thank you!!!!!! These guys seem to think all these other eras were good, like a large majority sucked back then to

[@JeffJak]

Late 80s into the 90s was the worst, made me stop reading for a good ten years

[@natemachado9113]

@@JeffJak Well I wouldn't go that far. Some solid stuff late 80's early 90's.

[@natemachado9113]

@@JosephRockford There was bad, but the identity politics that have crept in is very unique to this era. And that is something that is hard to argue against.

[@JeffJak]

@@natemachado9113 Yeah, I'm slowly working back and checking out some titles. I think it was mostly the art that I disliked.

[@PrivateCitizen84]

30 to 40 comics so that's three or four hours of majority meh. I diversify my interests with gaming and novels. Comic trades replaced the drop off in films/shows, but I am in time caspule big two wise. Mostly stuff 15 years older or more. Got some new stuff, but nothing big two.

[@wraith6776]

Hulk? Hulk is horrendous. Worst of most of the ones you listed.

[@dr.medieval1131]

I haven't stepped into a comic shop in almost 5 years. I see I haven't missed anything.

[@sunnywaffles]

I love hearing how shit comics are😂

[@mikeblomquist3308]

You seem to hate this…you should stop

[@mr.selfimprovement3241]

You know it's bad at marvel when idiot Dan Scott is able to write the occasionally enjoyable Spider Book while the others struggle to deliver a scene that doesn't involve food. When Dan Scott is your high bar of quality... you are either drunk or asleep under the table.

[@cobenhumphrey6972]

The heads of the industry think they’re better than us classic pride, and yet strangely enough, they’re industries, whether be comics, movies video games, are collapsing, muck in the same way that the Titanic sunk not just because of the iceberg, but ultimately in the end, it was pride I mean, like both were given warnings, and they took no head to them

[@AL-ws5yi]

It’s been a disappointing year for the big 2.

[@kevinkelley3906]

LOOK. Times have changed buddy. Then don't read comic books then!

[@mrmicro22]

Howdy, you have an good channel but modern comics are such a dumpster fire, I've decided not to inform myself about any of them since I will never give them my money again. I won't buy any merchandise for my kids or grandkids, much less the actual comics. Childhood, high school, college, adulthood. Long boxes and book shelves of graphic novels and collections. Loved it all. Now I need to starve the beast it has become. I should be part of a money making machine for the big 2 but they have made it clear they do not want my money. Just wanted you to know why I am unsubscribing. It's not you, it's them. Good bye.

[@thegrizzmd7193]

I could get behind a Chip Zdarsky ASM, that is what I am hoping for.

[@InfamyOrDeath-__-]

It’s time to jump ship Wes, manga is calling to you, imagine having 100% positive videos?? Keep your hair Wes, it’s the best choice you could ever make.

[@InfamyOrDeath-__-]

@ Hahahaha another comment that makes absolutely no sense, but that’s just the regular for u haha. I’ve already did exactly what I just said to Wes, I’ve taken my own advise, so what on earth are you talking about?

[@incubustimelord5947]

The "mainstream" American comic book industry is lost. DC and Marvel are both ruined forever. There is no fixing Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Justice League, the Titans, Spider-Man, Wolverine, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers. It's over. People should just walk away. The video game industry and even Japanese manga, and anime have all been compromised. Only American independent comic books, graphic novels and super-hero characters are free of any Political Correctness bullshit, and soy woke Social Justice Warrior nonsense.