ON THE SHELF THIS WEEK
by Craig Reade

DARK HORSE
Order any of the below titles by clicking here!

Usagi Yojimbo #91, $2.99. By Stan Sakai. Fast approaching 100 issues of Usagi Yojimbo! You’d never know it. There is no gear-up to an extra special 100, just quality storytelling each and every moth. Not that an extra sized issue 100 wouldn’t be appreciated, but this title doesn’t need that kind of gimmick. Possibly the best title Dark Horse has to offer, at worst a close second to Conan. The first title I would recommend if you are at all interested in checking out something different than the run-of-the-mill super hero books. 32 Pages.

DC COMICS
Order any of the below titles by clicking here!

American Way #1 (Of 8), $2.99. Written by John Ridley, Art by Georges Jeanty and Karl Story. Almost totally off topic – but since this is a mini I know little about, and it is the only Wildstorm book I have to write about this week, I will take a little liberty here. Why in the WORLD is DC canceling Majestic? Not too long ago, DC had a great idea to bring a new influx of readers into the Wildstorm Universe. Cross Majestic over, give him some exposure in Superman, give him a mini that shows his efforts to return home, and then have his own ongoing waiting on the other side. And the creative team on that ongoing was outstanding, the book was a great read. But once the ongoing started, the promotion ended, and sales started to flag a little. But people like me, DC readers who really didn’t have any interest in the Wildstorm Universe were onboard, and for my part, Majestic was near the top of my pile every month. It almost seemed like Majestic was going to spearhead a new Wildstorm, breathing fresh air into a stale concept that was in dire need to change. Well, that “relaunch” is going to happen, but Abnett and Lanning’s Majestic isn’t going to be a part of it. So for my money, if a book of Majestic’s quality wasn’t fit to be a part of the new Wildstorm order, then clearly Wildstorm isn’t going in a direction that would appeal to someone like me. So one potential reader of the new Wildstorm is lost, and I know I am not the only one. Canceling a quality book that started with so much promise and potential is not the way to engender new fan loyalty to a label. Major flub by DC here. 32 Pages.

Batman #650 $2.50. Written by Judd Winick, Art by Doug Mahnke and Tom Nguyen. It would be a lie to say that there hasn’t been anything of value in Jason Todd’s return, but there have also been problems. Why, for instance, would we need a three issue arc where Jason Todd kidnaps the Joker, when he pretty well already had his poetic revenge when he first made his re-appearance? And considering his motivations, why didn’t he KILL the Joker with that crowbar, instead of leaving him alive to even have this story? There have been some great aspects to the return of Jason Todd, but on the whole the story has gone on too long and has been plagued by some serious plot and characterization errors. This title really needs a fresh start. Thankfully, OYL is a month away. 32 Pages.

Batman Journey Into Knight #7 (Of 12), $2.50. Written by Andrew Helferl, Art by Tan Eng Huat. With the downward turn the regular Batman titles have taken over the last year, it is really tough to get excited about a Batman mini – especially when the mini really isn’t doing a better job of telling a Batman story than the ongoings are. Just over the halfway point, and already people have stopped talking about this one. Maybe it will read better as a collected story. 32 Pages.

Cartoon Network Block Party #18 $2.25. Written by Tom Warburton, John Rozum and Robbie Busch, Art by Maurice Fontenot, Scott Roberts and the Iguana. Same fare here as usual – about the biggest news is that with the cancellation of the Powerpuff Girls ongoing, they will pretty much dominate the lead story of this anthology next month, and for the foreseeable future. This might draw more attention to this title, but it does take one more good kid-friendly book off the market. A mixed bag to be sure. 32 Pages.

Catwoman #52, $2.50. Written by Will Pfeifer, Art by Pete Woods. It really speaks volumes about the quality of the Batman books where the Catwoman/Black Mask tension is way better than the Batman/Black Mask tension. Does it seem like the Black Mask even cares about Batman at all? And am I the only one who hopes it is Selina who finally gives the Black Mask his due? Under Pfeifer’s pen, of course. 32 Pages.

Green Lantern #9, $2.99. Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Ethan Van Sciver and Prentis Rollins. It took this long, but finally we are getting a little Batman/Hal Jordan forced cooperation. Admittedly, the luster of the Green Lantern: Rebirth story is starting to wear off, and I am finding myself more and more interested in the upcoming Ion book, and less interested in keeping up with this title. If this arc ramps it up a little, maybe I will change my mind, but really – there is nothing new out there that we need Hal Jordan for. He is just one of those characters that should have stayed dead. 32 Pages. Also Available: Green Lantern Green Arrow Vol 1 TPB $14.99.

JLA Classified #17, $2.99. Written by Gail Simone; Art by José Luis García-Lopéz and Klaus Janson. It really is nice to see Simone on something new, and doing well. Birds of Prey has remained tip-top, but she had a troublesome run on Action Comics (something I attributed to the mess of Infinite Crisis), and I’ll not get started on the Teen Titans two parter. But she really needed this arc to be special, and while it is still really early yet, it is off to a great start. I, for one, am breathing a shigh of relief. I’d hate to see a world where Gail Simone lost her writing mojo… 32 Pages.

Legion Of Super Heroes #15, $2.99. Written by Stuart Moore and Mark Waid, Art by Patrick Olliffe and Barry Kitson. Final issue! No, really! This issue looks to be something of a one-shot story that might be related to recent events in Infinite Crisis, but next month the title changes to Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes. Of course, fans of Waid’s story don’t care what the book is called, or whether or not Supergirl is in it, as long as the story stays consistent. And as silly as I think Supergirl’s addition to this title is, I can’t argue with that logic. 32 Pages.

Lucifer #71, $2.75. Written by Mike Carey, Art by Peter Gross and Ryan Kelly. Instead of one large epic conclusion, Lucifer is wrapping things up with some mopping up. And that kind of is a good thing, if you think about it. All the loose ends tied up in one neat package, without rushing everything to fit into an explosive finale. Not bad thinking at all. 32 Pages.

Solo #9 $4.99. Written by Scott Hampton and John Hitchcock; Art and cover by Hampton. This month’s solo focuses on Scott Hampton, known recently for his work on Batman: Gotham County Line. Some of you mighty also remember him from the Devin Grayson/Greg Rucka Black Widow mini, the second one under the Marvel Knights imprint some time back (That was a great read, brings back memories), as well as his graphic novel “The Upturned Stone” as well as some work on Hellblazer and Books of Magic. Should be an excellent showcase of his talents. 48 Pages.

Superman The Journey TPB, $14.99. Written by Mark Verheiden and Gail Simone; Art and cover by Ed Benes, John Byrne and Nelson. Basic trade collection of the Superman issues impacted by Infinite Crisis and the countdown minis. Includes Superman #117, 121-125, and part of Action Comics #83. Good purchase for those interested in the complete Infinite Crisis story who don’t follow the Superman books. 144 Pages.

Swamp Thing Book 3 Healing The Breach TPB, $17.99. Written by Joshua Dysart, Art by Enrique Breccia, Ronald Wimberly and Richard Corben. Collecting issues #15-20 of the ongoing series. This really is the first I have seen this book mentioned in a long time – since issue #24 was out earlier this month, it seems that I just missed it all together. But the lack of buzz can’t be good, since the last I read anything about Swamp Thing, people were lamenting it. Maybe things have picked up for it? Maybe a once over the trade is in order… 144 Pages.

Teen Titans Go #28, $2.25. Written by J. Torres, Art by Todd Nauck and Lary Stucker. Almost like a tease, this month’s issue focuses on a key aspect of the last season of Teen Titans – the Doom Patrol. Not much has changed since the show was cancelled officially late last year. Some of the execs at DC and Cartoon Network do seem to be a bit stung by negative fan reaction to the cancellation of Teen Titans and the uncertain future of Justice League Unlimited, and though haven’t said anything that amounts to a commitment, have implied that the end has not come for either series, and that we should hear something during a series of three announcements which will occur at the end of this months, through mid-March. With some luck, the folks at Cartoon Network will have come to their senses and commit to new seasons of BOTH shows. 32 Pages.

Vigilante #6 (Of 6) $2.99. Written by Bruce Jones, Art by Ben Oliver. Bruce Jones’s first post-exclusive series comes to an end, a month before he gets his start on Nightwing One Year Later. As expected, Bruce Jones has done a great job with this series, and all signs point to a satisfying ending. Should make an excellent trade read. 32 Pages.

Wonder Woman #226, $2.50. Written by Greg Rucka, Art by Cliff Richards. The last issue of Wonder Woman for a little while. It is kind of surprising that we haven’t yet heard when the new Wonder Woman series would be coming out. Conventional fan wisdom was that Wonder Woman would be out with a new #1 as early as next month, considering the terms of DC’s ownership held that the title had to be published regularly or ownership would revert to the Martson estate. Of course, those original terms stated only “four issues” (one would presume per year), so even under those guidelines, DC would be OK so long as Wonder Woman came back by November. Even so, it is doubtful they would have gone this long without acquiring a more firm ownership of the character. Still – you can bet Wonder Woman will be back sooner than later. 32 Pages.

IMAGE COMICS
Order any of the below titles by clicking here!

PvP #23 $2.99. By Scott Kurtz. It wasn’t always this way, but I find I am enjoying PvP far more in comic form than I am via Kurtz’s daily strips online. The concepts being presented in the comic each month are the best of the best story concepts, and while they aren’t necessarily bad, there are times when PvP Online just isn’t as outstanding as it has been in the past. Especially of late, perhaps due to some of the other projects Kurtz is working on. This issue focuses on the Brent death threat storyline. Another great one, be sure to pick this one up. 24 Pages.

Savage Dragon #123, $2.99. By Erik Larsen. Wow, it has been a while since I had to talk about Savage Dragon. Is Image getting this book back on track, as it did with Spawn? We can only hope. This issue follows Dragon, who has lost his regenerative powers, as he faces his “biggest challenge ever.” Savage Dragon is always a fun superhero book, and well worth a peak. 32 Pages.

MARVEL COMICS
Order any of the below titles by clicking here!

All New Handbook of the Marvel Universe A To Z #2, $3.99. Written by various. This is a much better way to approach the handbook series if you ask me – instead of breaking it up into little themes every month, just do it all in alphabetical order. Hopefully this leads to some nice encyclopedia later in the year – Marvel really needs something comparable in scope to the DC Encyclopedia. 64 Pages.

Amazing Spider-Man #529 $2.50. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, Art by Mike Deodato. So bone “stingers” huh? I was never one that got too upset about the organic webshooters. I mean, I liked the fact that Peter was a science geek who built the webshooters, but I could understand the idea behind the change, especially in reference to the movie. And the upcoming “Iron Spidey” costume, sure I hated it. Most Spider-Man fans really did. But then I figured that enough people would complain, the costume would become temporary, and that would be that. And since we are already being assured that it is a temporary costume change, it is safe to say I was right. But the Other was supposed to be a defining Spider-Man crossover, something meant to change Peter Parker forever. But bone stingers? Complete with his own snikt like “SHAK!”? Why would Spider-Man ever STAB anyone? Since when do Spiders have stingers? Spider-Man has gone from an insecure every-geek character who gained super powers through a tragic accident, was driven by guilt and loss, struggling to afford the very web fluid he used to do his work. Now he’s a Spider-Totem-god who’s married to a super model, lives rent free in a skyscraper, doesn’t want for anything, has the head of a major corporation designing and building him the latest high-tech costumes. And that’s not even taking into account the stingers. Am I the only one here who thinks Spider-Man might be broken? 32 Pages.

Arana 3 Night Of The Hunter Digest TPB, $7.99. Written by Fiona Avery, Art by Roger Cruz and Francis Portella. These kind of books seem to do well as digests, which is more than a good enough reason to keep putting them out. But no, Arana pretty well stopped with little to no ceremony. In fairness, this book was doing so poorly sales wise that even I can see Marvel’s logic in canceling it. This does serve to show the power of Marvel Marketing – when they pushed the book, it sold well. When they stopped, sales plummeted. If they’d put their muscle behind the titles that aren’t dropping, the ones that are barely staying afloat on their own, and left the big name books to sell themselves, the general health of the Marvel Universe would be a lot stronger. Collecting Arana #7-12. 144 Pages.

Black Panther #13, $2.99. Written by Reginald Hudlin, Art by Scot Eaton. The last issue of the infamous “bride-hunt” arc, which of course is leading to the much trumpeted Black Panther/Storm wedding. Comic readers are almost universally dispassionate about. Not that the match doesn’t make sense, but it seems almost out of left field. Outside of appearances together in alternate realities/universes, these two characters have had virtually no interaction with one another in recent memory. Fans care more about the Jessica Jones/Luke Cage wedding, not because they are bigger characters, but because their wedding is a legitimate and logical character evolution for them. If you ask me, that is way more deserving the title of “Marvel Wedding of the Decade” than Storm and Black Panther. 32 Pages.

Black Widow 2 #6 (Of 6) $2.99. Written by Richard K. Morgan, Art by Sean Phillips. About the only bad thing about this mini has been a few totally unnecessary political barbs. In fact, the story has been so good that the small bits of over politicizing stood out all the more. While I wish writers would stop using the explanation of a character’s motivations to justify political rants (I mean, come on, do you need to launch into a rant about how “no one wanted the war” when introducing a disgruntled ex-Navy Seal?), in this series it has been minimal enough to totally ignore. And in light of how good the series it, well worth doing just that. Hope this one wraps up just as well as the first one did. 32 Pages.

Book Of Lost Souls #5, $2.99. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, Art by Colleen Doran. The ad count has gone down considerably, which has only strengthened this book. Most people are buying it based on the writer, but the art is really the strong point of this book, and anything that helps the presentation is only going to be good for this title. 32 Pages.

Captain America #15 $2.99. Written by Ed Brubaker, Art by Steve Epting. This issue is billed as a stand alone which will set up the next year of stories on this book. Gotta say that is a fantastic idea. Captain America hasn’t been a must-read title in quite some time. And now that it is, some readers who were caught by surprise might be looking for a place to jump aboard. This issue would be it. A must-buy this week if you aren’t already reading Captain America. 32 Pages.

Exiles #77, $2.99. Written by Tony Bedard, Art by James Califaore. Next stop on the World Tour – the Squadrom Supreme Universe. And the team has a new member – one that is quite exciting to a lot of long-time Marvel readers (I won’t spoil it – if you want to know, look at the cover!). The title continues to divide some readers, some of which don’t really enjoy Bedard’s direction on the book. On the whole Bedard is doing a much better job than previous writers have on the book, so the title is at the very least solid. Something that you couldn’t really say at one point. 32 Pages.

Fantastic Four #535 $2.99. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, Art by Mike McKone. Big feature of this issue is the Thing out to rescue the Hulk. As interesting a dynamic as this is, it really is something we have probably seen a bit too much of these days. JMS fans are still enjoying his take on the team, but I can’t help but notice the total lack of buzz his run is getting these days. This arc in particular – JMS seems more interested in retelling a Hulk story than he is developing the Fantastic Four. Not bad, but certainly not groundbreaking. 32 Pages.

House Of M World Of M TPB, $13.99. Written by Reginald Hudlin, Ed Brubaker, Fabian Nicieza, and Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Trevor Hairsine, Lee Weeks, Tom Grummett, Patrick Zircher, and Michael Lark. This trade collects the various House of M crossover issues that dotted the Marvel line-up during the event. Included are Black Panther #7, probably the only example of T’Challa and Storm being “together” in recent memory (even then it is an alternate reality), Captain America #10, a solid story about an elderly Steve Rogers who was never frozen in time, New Thunderbolts #11,Cable/Deadpool #17, The Pulse #10, The Pulse Special Edition, and the House of M Sketchbook. Also out this week is the trade of the House of M Spider-Man mini, which was a fairly decent story on the whole. Both good items for people looking for the entire House of M story. 184 Pages. Also Available: House Of M Spider-Man TPB, $13.99, 120 Pages.

I Heart Marvel Outlaw Love, $2.99. Written by Fabian Nicieza, Art by Jon Proctor. Another week of I *Heart* Marvel, this week’s issue focusing on a little villain love-story between the Answer and Ruby Thursday. Valentine’s Day is long gone, but this could be a fun read. 32 Pages.

Iron Man The Inevitable #3 (Of 6), $2.99. Written by Joe Casey, Art by Frazer Irving. This mini isn’t anything special, but it really isn’t supposed to be. It just seems like something that was put out to give Iron Man readers something during the ongoing’s “absence,” and along those lines, it is exactly what the doctor ordered. For fans of the ongoing, issue 6 is supposed to be out next month, and Marvel has solicited an issue every month so far after that. Hopefully things are getting back on track for the title. 32 Pages.

Kabuki #6, $2.99. By David Mack. Been a while since we saw the last Kabuki from Icon. This one is billed as a jumping on point for new readers, so if you are curious about it, this is the week to get it. Kabuki is an extremely visually interesting title that is really unlike anything else on the market today. 32 Pages.

Marvel Milestones Dragon Lord Speedball & Man In The Sky, $3.99. Marvel seems to be treating this more like an ongoing series these days, and that is a fantastic thing. The headline story in this issue should appeal to fans of the recent re-emergence of the Marvel Monsters, a story from Marvel Spotlight #5 introducing Dragon Lord. Also Speedball #1, a logical inclusion with his increased profile in the Marvel Universe these days. As always, a great way to brush up on some important classic issues. 48 Pages.

New Warriors Reality Check TPB, $15.99. Written by Zeb Wells, Art by Skottie Young. This really is a trade you should pick up. The New Warriors is one of those groups with a small but loyal fan base, and as a title it really deserves a lot more respect than it seems to get. Even this series though had some fans a bit hesitant, that was entirely due to Young’s cartoonish art style. It didn’t take too long to get past that, and this mini surfaced as one of last year’s most entertaining. With several New Warriors appearing in more high profile roles this year (Nova in Annihilation, Speedball in Marvel Team-Up and the I *Heart* Marvel issue), it would be good for unfamiliar readers to see them in a more traditional role. This series was cleverly written and was an extremely fun read. 144 Pages.

New X-Men #23, $2.99. Written by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost, Art by Mark Brooks. It really is a shame to see what has happened to this book. Not that it isn’t decent, it just isn’t great anymore. It used to be a beacon of what X-Men books were supposed to be like. But Marvel changed its whole focus. Now it really isn’t all that different than the other X-Men books out today, and that is not progress. It should still do well on name value alone, but it doesn’t have the quality anymore that made the title extra special. 32 Pages.Nick Fury Howling Commandos #5, $2.99. Written by Keith Giffen, Art by Eduardo Francisco. Second to last issue in the mini- so naturally it is probably best to wait for the trade if you aren’t already reading this series. This series hasn’t lived quite up to its potential, not devastating, but it hasn’t quite lived up to Giffen’s reputation. Can’t always have runaway hits, I suppose. 32 Pages.

Nightcrawler The Winding Way TPB, $14.99. Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Art by Darick Robertson. The second trade from the series that finally looks to be cancelled for real. Not that any book deserves to be axed, but the fans weren’t really resonating with this take on the character, and Marvel just kept going back and forth about whether they should keep this title. Probably best for the health of the X-Universe all together to let this one end. Collects Nightcrawler #7-12. 144 Pages.

Sentry #6 (Of 8), $2.99. Written by Paul Jenkins, Art by John Romita, Jr. This series certainly has been decisive. Some readers are loving it to bit, while others simply find it to be confusing. Perhaps it would have just been better to develop the Sentry anew in New Avengers, but considering the fact that Marvel really can’t keep Thor away forever, that is a tough shadow for a “new” powerhouse to come up underneath. Hopefully Jenkins can tighten it up in the last three issues to win back some of the detractors. 32 Pages.

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #3, $2.99. Written by Sean McKeever, Art by Takeshi Miyazawa. Spider-Man might be the first name on the title, but this is very much Mary Jane’s story. Hey, doesn’t really matter what you call it in the long run, as long as the story is the same, right? And it is. Old Mary Jane readers should continue to be pleased. 32 Pages.

Storm #1 (Of 6) $2.99. Written by Eric Jerome Dickey, Art by David Yardin. The Storm/Black Panther “march to the alter” starts with this mini. This story is being billed as “The epic, untold love story between Marvel’s two pre-eminent Black super heroes.” Two problems right there that are bothering some readers. The first the attention paid to their race – readers don’t want this to be a racial issue. They like Storm and Black Panther, and their skin color doesn’t play into it at all. Of course, if Marvel’s motivation to pair them up is based solely on skin color, isn’t there something wrong with that? But that issue is really secondary to the fact that this love story is, as the solicit says, “untold.” Manufacturing a romantic history at the last minute doesn’t make the wedding an epic event. The Jessica Jones/Luke Cage pairing is much more worthy this kind of attention. Marvel really isn’t off to a good start with this idea – hopefully they can pull something out by the time it is over. 32 Pages.

Supreme Power Hyperion #4 (Of 5), $2.99. Written by J. Michael Straczynski, Art by Dan Jurgens. Supere Power’s time at MAX is coming to a close with this series, and quite possibly the end of MAX as a line all together. Pretty much the only MAX title left is Punisher, and one title doesn’t really make an imprint. I wonder if we will hear something more about the future of MAX once the Marvel Knights reorganization is over and done with. 32 Pages.

Thing #4, $2.99. Written by Dan Slott, Art by Andrea DiVito. Lockjaw! Dan Slott continues to prove that he really is the best thing Marvel has going for it these days. I personally loved seeing Arcade back on the pages of the funny books, and the fact that it was a great story to boot just made it that much better. Thing is definitely one of the best new Marvel books on the shelves these days. 32 Pages.

Ultimate Spider-Man #90 $2.50. Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Mark Bagley. This title is back to firing on all cylinders. For a long time the book wasn’t bad, but it seemed like it was stagnating a bit. But after almost 100 issues, you figure a writer isn’t going to be at top form 100% of the time. It is great to finally be enjoying Ultimate Spider-Man this much again. 32 pages.

Ultimate Wolverine Vs Hulk #2 (Of 6), $2.99. Written by Damon Lindelof, Art by Leinil Francis Yu. Pretty action packed, and we are only one issue into it! Wolverine fans are mouring the results of the first tussle, but are counting on Logan having a better showing in the inevitable rematch . It has to happen, right – we have 5 more issues? Personally the first fight was how it should go every time in my book – with all due respect to Wolverine as a combatant, he just isn’t in that league. I can understand the character’s appeal, but come on, it is the Hulk. Even in the Ultimate Universe, what chance does a guy with some sharp knives who can heal really fast actually have? 32 Pages.

Wolverine #39, $2.50. Written by Daniel Way, Art by Javier Saltares. Like most Way efforts, fans aren’t quite sure whether or not they like this latest arc or not. True it is a little more involved character-wise than some of the previous all-action Wolverine stories we got. But considering the importance of the story we are being presented here, you would expect things to be a little more intense and not quite as relaxed as this story has been. 32 Pages.

Craig’s Pick of the Week

Astonishing X-Men #13, $2.99, Marvel. Written by Joss Whedon, Art by John Cassaday. Well, Whedon and Cassaday have returned for another year of Astonishing (along with three variant covers, whether or not this is a good thing is certainly debatable), which can only be described as a good thing for the X-Universe. There were some controversial aspects to their initial twelve issue run to be sure, but even with all that, this title was written the way that readers want their X-Men team book stories to be told. Hopefully we are in for another year of that. 32 Pages.

NOTE: Opinions here may not reflect those of X-World Comics LLC or it’s staff and are solely the opinions of the writer.

Want to comment on this week’s newsletter? Give your feedback here!

Post your comments in the Forum!