Responding to comics suggestions.

So, a whole gang of people chimed in on some books that may break my funnybook doldrums, so here's my gut reaction to the titles suggested. Again, this is entirely subjective, and I'm not going to pretend that I'm being rational in regards to some suggestions. Also, my often-empty wallet impedes my ability to try new things somewhat, but I've started to cull some of the dead weight from my pull list, and plan to excise more titles in the near future, so things could easily even out.

Chris Hunter suggests:

•The Walking Dead: This may be a possibility. I don't exactly think I'm a Robert Kirkman kind of guy, or even a zombie kind of guy, but I may check this out. Enough people seem to recommend it.
•Small Gods: We may have a winner. I just checked out some of the sample pages online, and I'd be willing to try it out. I have doubts that it will wow me the way I'm hoping something else will, but it never hurts to try.
•Western Tales of Terror: Maybe. I don't know. This is something I'd probably have to skim through before making a decision on it.
•Sleeper: I'm one of the bastards reading this in collected form, because I think it holds up better that way.
•Ex Machina: While I liked the first issue, I didn't become infatuated with it. This is another case of waiting for the trade, maybe.
•Bloodhound: Rich Watson's tastes and mine average about a sixty-percent crossover, and he's suggested this as well, so this will go in the maybe column.
•Powers: I do read this occasionally, but this isn't what I'm looking for. I can't say I'm a big Bendis fan (although I can't express how much I enjoy Oeming's illustrations). This hasn't "wowed" me for a long time, but I do keep tabs on it.
Planetary: I said "comes out regularly," Chris. All kidding aside, the fanboy in me simply adores Planetary.

David Welsh chimes in with:

•She-Hulk: This was kind of a "meh" for me. It was clever enough in the right spots, I suppose, but I'm really bringing a lot of personal bias into this - it was pitched to me as the Ally McBeal of the Marvel Universe. That kind of pitch really grabbed me, as I adored practically everything about Ally McBeal - even past the point where common sense should allow - and it just didn't live up to that hype with me. Also, damn FX Network for not airing repeats of Ally McBeal anymore, and damn Twentieth Television for not releasing this on DVD.
•We3: I am getting this, and absolutely adore it - and I'm not even a Morrison fan, really. But this is just a miniseries, right? I'm looking in a more long-range kind of way. But, yeah. I actually kind of teared up reading the first issue, because I'm a sucker for dogs, and just found the dog questioning whether he was good or not heartbreaking.
•Adam Strange: I've been on the fence on this, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I've never been a real fan of the sci-fi or fantasy genres, but I just love that classic '50s look Adam Strange is rockin'.
•Madrox: David's talked this up on his blog before, and I've been considering it. I must admit, though, that a lot of PAD's stuff in the past five or so years hasn't been to my liking at all (although I'm still thinking of trying Fallen Angel based off of Johanna's promotion of it.
•Amelia Rules: Another book on my intended-to-check-out-but-never-got-around-to-it. And that's even after reading Rich Watson's interview with Gownley a while back.
•Manga: Fuck no. That shit's killing comics... I kid, I kid. I have to admit, I'm not really as up on manga as I'd like to be. I have read some, like the standards (Akira, Lone Wolf and Cub), the first two parts of Domu (which I liked, but can't seem to locate my copy of the rest). The much-missed (except on Saturdays!) John Jakala sent me some a few months ago. My wife and I really dug Crayon Shinchan, she dug a horror anthology he sent, and I couldn't get into Slam Dunk. I also tried @Large because of the hip hop aspect, but found it to be a generally flawed work. So, by all means, break some manga down for me! Iron Wok Jan is at the top of my current "to try" list. I really love the fact that the comics from that part of the world are so diverse in content.

One of my left-leaning political brothers (because, you know, we're so rare in the comics blogosphere), Chris Brown, suggests:

•Y The Last Man: I just can't get into this, and I have no rational explanation for why that is.
•True Story, Swear To God: This was on that short list of things I really, truly look forward to. In fact, one of my prized sketches in my dalmatian sketchbook is something Tom did for me at SPX last year.
•Demo: Unlike the rest of the blogosphere, I haven't picked up Demo yet, but I've been meaning to.
•Astonishing X-Men: Surprisingly, I am buying this, and enjoying it (in fact, I'm buying two X-books currently, which is more than I have since... well, ever). Originally, I started picking it up for my wife, who adores Joss Whedon. She didn't like it, but I stuck with it. That said, it's a good, light superhero romp, but not something I'm really anxious to read month in and month out. To compare it to television viewing, I'm looking for new favorite shows, not just favorite shows at 9pm on a Monday when there really isn't much to choose from. It's a fun read.

Matt Maxwell has some suggestions already addressed above, and some others:

•The Goon: Am I also a bastard for not ever having read The Goon? Yeah, probably. Perhaps I'll give it a try.
•Human Target: I haven't started buying this monthly yet. A super-sweet snarky bastard sent me the first thirteen issues, and I devoured them. I'm going to try to find copies of issues 14 and 15, which I think are out. I really like it, but I don't know if it has that instant connection inside me that I'm looking for.
•Gotham Central (not really a Bat-book): I'll chalk this one up to a maybe, too.
•New Frontier (though it's done): Damn that book for concluding. That was probably the series I looked forward to the most. I rarely, if ever, buy collected editions if I already have individual copies, but if they release the whole thing in hardcover, I'll be buying one.
•Hard Time: That's one I'll think about. I must admit, I really never paid much attention to that whole line of books.
•Conan: I just kind of really hate that whole type of book. It's a personal prejudice I just can't shake - it could be the best thing ever, and I still wouldn't be able to get into it.
•Plastic Man: I adore this series. A bunch of people I've talked to have said that they think Baker's phoning this one in. I mean, obviously, it's not at the same level as Cartoonist, but it's probably my favorite superhero comic that comes out monthly. That said, though... I've got a nagging feeling this one won't be sticking around much longer, which makes me sad. I've loved Baker's work for a long time - in fact, interviewing him is probably my favorite Comic World News related memory.

Newly-employeed Shane Bailey also suggests some repeats, but adds:

•Hellblazer: Another comic that I think also works better in trades. And, with the film coming out, those should be available in abundance, and I'll buy them even if Reeves's photo is on the cover.
•Solo: Shane was also talking this up highly when we spoke this afternoon, so I'm going to give it a shot. I've always been a sucker for non-continuity anthology titles.

Marc Mason and Jame Smith (James Smith? I have no idea) also suggested books mentioned by others first, so I just want to thank them for also suggesting titles.

Am I the only one who goes through this funk? I don't think so - a fairly large amount of discussion I've read on comics lately demonstrates that others are in the same boat as I am. I'm actually somewhat sad that it's The Comics Journal that I'm looking forward to most in the stack of things my retailer is delivering to me tomorrow - there's just something disconcerting that I'd rather read about comics than reading comics themselves.

But, thanks to Tom Spurgeon's shiny new web site, there's a ridiculously comprehensive list of books about comics that can tide me over in the meantime.