If you haven't picked up Fray, pick it up. This is a really nice story. Cool little twist and more of Joss's dialogue is always awesome. I HIGHLY recommend this.

ChosenOne5376 | September 24, 01:13 CET

I second that, Fray is wonderful. I like all of Joss's comic book work, but Fray is definitely his best.

Biff Turkle | September 24, 01:15 CET

It's probably the wrong thing to say on a forumy thing dedicated to Joss Whedon, but it still astounds me that people are actually voting for Joss against Alan Moore.

The First Weevil | September 24, 01:44 CET

I love Joss. But against Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, and Alan Moore, I'll have to go with them instead.

Oddjob | September 24, 02:06 CET

Wait, so Whedon won again Ennis...

I would have voted for Ennis before Whedon's comic work, so yah, of course Alan Moore gets this vote. If he doesn't win, than that's kind of ludicrous. I love Joss Whedon, but his comic work, while great, is not up there with the best of the best yet.

[ edited by rabid on 2005-09-24 03:26 ]

rabid | September 24, 02:25 CET

It's kind of weird that they are showing the results of this poll, when they didn't for the last one.

rabid | September 24, 02:29 CET

Damn, didn't expect Joss to get through the last round but he's really up against it now, especially since I expect Moore to win overall. It's a shame Gaiman and Moore can't meet in the final.

Paul_Rocks | September 24, 02:42 CET

So wait a minute... are you telling me that Joss beat out Ennis AND Gaiman?!? As much as I love Joss and think he can do (almost) no wrong, that's just heresy!

Of the four names mentioned here, I'd rank 'em...

1. Gaiman
2. Moore
3. Ennis
4. Whedon

Haunt | September 24, 03:32 CET

No Haunt, just that Gaiman and Moore are set to meet in the next round if they both win this round and they are both winning at the moment.

Paul_Rocks | September 24, 03:39 CET

Ah, okay. Thanks for the clarification.

Haunt | September 24, 03:49 CET

I didn't vote in the last round, but I solidly would've supported Joss still -- Ennis' Preacher series bugged me severely. He wrote violence like a virgin would write erotica, just over the top and devoid of anything. Which is a shame b/c I wanted to see how his plot would turn out overall, but I'd definitely put Joss over him. But erm, Gaiman and Moore? Not so much. Gaiman's work on Sandman is probably some of the best of the '90s and Moore's probably the best comic book writer to ever work in the medium -- Watchman is generally considered seminal, but I adore V for Vendetta -- it's a masterpiece.

I just want to know, what happened to Warren Ellis?

dottikin | September 24, 05:44 CET

He disappeared along with the last issues of Planetary and Ministry of Space. *evil laugh*

Yeah, I know it's been pretty on-time of late. Let me have my fun.

The First Weevil | September 24, 06:12 CET

I am relatively new to comic books and have only been looking at Whedonverse comic books. The Spike one shot and Serenity books are OK, I really like "The Curse" Angel series (I like the artwork alot)but so far Fray is the best comic I have read. I like the story and art for Fray and it is the first comic book where I really got into the story and couldn't wait to read what was going to happen next.

I am curious about the Sandman comics but whenever I look at them, there are just so many, it is overwhelming to decide which one to buy in order to give ther series a try. Any recommendations from you experts would be appreciated.

Passion | September 24, 12:23 CET

He lost to Grant Morrison in the 2nd round.

Paul_Rocks | September 24, 14:23 CET

Sandman is a series I recommend reading from the beginning. The first book is the weakest of the bunch, but it also introduces a lot of characters and concepts. The 2nd and 3rd book are quite good, but the series reaches unparalleled excellence with Seasons of Mist, and stays there.

Still it's better to read it as one massive epic. A lot of the recurring themes and characters are more powerful that way.

rabid | September 24, 14:38 CET

wah. I mean it when I say that Moore may be the greatest writer to have ever worked in the medium, but Ellis is my personal favorite writer. He just makes me smiled like anything -- though shockingly, later Moore is pretty funny.

Start the Sandman series from the beginning -- there are 10 trade paperbacks (each collecting five to eight issues) in all, and the first is Preludes and Nocturnes. I think it's the weakest of the series, but there are enough flashes of intrigue and creepiness to make it a solid opening. Kinda like a pilot ep -- the books get quickly much better, and more powerful. See if your local library has the books -- otherwise, it's gonna be an expensive reading habit. Sandman was my first major foray into the world of comics, and it's a fabulous place to start. I don't think it compares to Buffy, b/c BtVS is not just seminal TV for me, it's one of the most meaningful works of art for me personally, but Sandman is a bit like Buffy in its themes and power.

One thing though: if art is important to you, I don't know if you will like the books. I've consistently found the artwork to be... ugly or weird, which doesn't bother much because I read comics for the words.

dottikin | September 24, 15:09 CET

*happy sigh* Another Fray? Now THAT'S a happy thought.

looking | September 24, 19:16 CET

I voted for Moore. The man wrote D.R and Quinch, for heaven's sake!

Passion, check out your library to see if they have any copes of Sandman you can dip into. Bear in mind the first volume is more inspired by the Vertigo Horror titles done by people like, well, Alan Moore, and thus are quite unpleasant if horror isn't your cup of tea. By the second volume he's settled into his own style more, and that's probably the best place to start 'dipping' without losing narrative coherence. IMHO, of course.

giles (yes, it is my real name) | September 24, 22:56 CET

I don't know if one can skip the first volume of Sandman and not lose narrative coherance. Ignoring the main plot (which is kind of meh overall,) it introduces Death in one of the best issues of the run, and the first issue (trapped Morpheus) is kind of the central point of his entire development into The Kindly Ones.

[ edited by rabid on 2005-09-25 00:15 ]

rabid | September 24, 23:15 CET

Thank you rabid, dottikin and giles!

I will start with reading "Preludes and Nocturnes" then. I was afraid you would all say read them in order, I don't know exactly how many there are but there seem to be alot. When I first saw a rack of them at the comic book store (which I just recently have started to frequent)I was thinking to myself "this is going to be an expensive habit".

Passion | September 25, 12:53 CET