If this is your first time reading the $40 Pull List, I invite you to see how it works by reading the first edition. Therin you will find all the rules governing the list, and the selection of titles. It isn’t too complicated, though, so just dive right in if you don’t feel like reading back issues! In addition, this column contains Spoilers, so if you are waiting for the trade, read at your own risk!

This was a really long but packed month for the budget reader. With 5 Wednesdays, there were a few weeks where there wasn’t much of anything at all to pick up at the comic shop. However, with Free Comic Book Day, you should have had plenty to read on those light weeks.

Highlights this month included the long awaited latest issue of Rex Libris #8 and Nova #2. We also had two surprising downers this month in Silent War #5 and Buffy #3. Want the details? Read on -

MAY’S PICKS

Rex Libris #8, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due out 05/09/07. ON TIME

Ah, the wait was just too long! Light and intelligent rarely go so well together as they do in Rex Libris. Issue #8 was funny and filled with outstanding one-liners. As difficult as it is to get a copy of this title, it really needs to be excellent to continue to be worth the effort. Thankfully, it is. I love the humor in this title – it is very multi-layered. This book is definitely not for the limp-minded. The issue had a ton of references to classic monster movies, which will be a real treat if you are an aficionado of old-school horror. A recap page might have helped this issue just a hair (considering the wait between issues), but this was far from a fatal flaw.

Status: SAFE

Silent War #5, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due out 05/30/07. ON TIME

One of the most frustrating things about David Hine is his politics. While he doesn’t usually stand on a soap-box and force his views down your throat like Chaykin might (I give him a lot of credit for being subtle), it does influence his work. And that was really apparent this issue. The US Government is just a hair too evil. The Marines just a tad too bloodthirsty. Actually, in all honesty it didn’t bother me too much until that last splash page with the “Kill! Kill! Kill!” I guess when it comes to presenting our soldiers as monsters, I am a little touchy. I am sure most of you didn’t even notice it.

Something was bothering me last issue though, and what that was really came into focus this issue. Hine isn’t telling the right story. The real meat of this story has to be what is going on with Medusa, Luna, and Maximus. But that seems like an aside. The bulk of this issue centered on the Sentry’s unwillingness to fight, fearing what Black Bolt would unleash. A legitimate fear, but you are telling me that SHIELD hasn’t at least tried to come up with a way to contain his power after all these years? They had no countermeasures at all that they were willing to at least try? The result was a fight with no oomph. Maybe we will see Black Bolt cut lose more next issue, but if I am not mistaken, it is the last issue. So as it stands now, Hine intends to cram in a climactic battle, and potentially resolve the Maximus story (which has a lot of ground left to cover) all in one issue.

Still an ok read, but as this story winds to a close, it seems this story relied too much on potential, and forgot to deliver a payoff. We should have been at this point in the narrative after the third issue, leaving the epic retaliation battle for the fifth issue, and the Black Bolt/Maximus throwdown for the final issue.

This late in the game, I want to see how the story ends, so we will finish it out. But I am feeling quite a bit disappointed by how this story is turning out. Hine can do better.

Status: SAFE

Buffy The Vampire Slayer #3, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due out 05/02/07. ON TIME

This is one of those decisions that you have to be really careful about. I mean, Whedon has so many fans. And this book has certainly won its share of solid reviews. And Buffy – who didn’t like Buffy when it was on TV?

After much thinking and rereading – I have to finally conclude that this title is probably one of the most overrated books on the market. The art is nothing special. In fact – it is more than a little confusing. It is darned near impossible to tell who is in the panel sometimes. The plot makes almost no sense – and the structure itself comes off like Whedon has never written a comic book before. You can’t just stop in the middle of a scene and go on to something else in a print medium – that might work on TV, but not in a comic!

Of course, the character’s voices are right. That is one thing you expected Whedon to get right though, and I suspect that is what most people are responding to when praising this book. But in every other way, this is a below average book. Time to move on to something a little better.

Status: DROPPED

Wyrms #4, $2.99, Marvel/Dabel Brothers. Due out 05/16/07. ON TIME

Last moth I complained about the way the Cranning Call was presented- I wanted some kind of graphic interpretation, just so we could see the beckoning. Well, we didn’t get that, but we did get a great sequence after Patience had the mindstone implanted in her head. That was very well done – and almost exactly what I was looking for when we first had the Cranning Call explained to us.

I get the feeling this comic is still more entertaining to those who have actually read the novel. Since it is one of my very favorite Card books, I am probably biased, but I am really enjoying this series. Looking forward to #5.

Status: SAFE

Hellblazer #232, $2.99, DC Comics/Vertigo. Due out 05/23/07. ON TIME

With a couple strong issues out of the way, Diggle seems to have teken a step back this issue to do a little set-up. Which is perfectly fine – you need a few issues like that on occasion. There was a lot in this issue that would probably appeal to long-time readers of this title, so it was a little slow for the rest of us. Still – entertaining and well written, and worth continuing. Hopefully things get a little more meaty next issue though.

Status: SAFE

Noble Causes #29, $3.50, Image Comics. Due out 05/02/07. Released 05/09/07

This sucker finally came out! Issue #30 is still late, but that was kind of expected. We should be seeing that sometime – still can’t find a date for it yet, though. Noble Causes is an Image title, so some tardiness is to be expected. I just hope that the new artist, as outstanding as he is, isn’t holding this title up too much. I would hate to lose Noble Causes to the two months late rule.

This issue was another solid one. We finally have an interesting turn in the feud between the Blackthornes and the Nobles, which is a real step in the right direction. While it is interesting to have them as adversaries, this book is a lot stronger when the Nobles’ worst enemies are themselves. They have been getting along too well ever since the Blackthornes were introduced, and hopefully this is a sign that is changing.

Still going strong, but if this lateness problem continues, things might not be so secure.

Status: SAFE

Spider-man Loves Mary Jane #18, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/02/07. ON TIME

Ah, angst is well and good, but if you always have the same sort of angst – well, that can get a little tired. Interesting developments between Mary Jane and Harry do promise some explosions later down the road. Harry is proving to be an adept manipulator, something which is no doubt going to continue. The side-plot with Spider-Man and Firestar was a little too brief, I do get the sense there that McKeever is rushing through some things in order to wrap everything up before he departs.

Still good – I can’t imagine not continuing this title at least until McKeever takes his final bow.

Jonah Hex #19, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 05/02/07. ON TIME

Another decent done-in-one for Jonah Hex this month. A little confusing though, it seemed like they could have tied these two stories together a little bit better. It seemed like there was more to this story, and that there could be some stronger ties between the two “bounties,” but that might have required a little more room than we had in a single issue to tell.

Could have been a little better, but they all can’t be totally awesome. Looking forward to a better issue next month.

Status: SAFE

Nova #2, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 05/09/07. ON TIME

Best part about this issue? Nova slapping Diamondhead around without even breaking a sweat.

I was a little concerned about this issue, but it does seem like my fears were a little unfounded. Nova didn’t cower before the might of Iron Man like I feared – in fact, it was almost the reverse. And in fact, just about all the characters acted exactly as they should in that situation.

This has the makings of a great series. I can’t wait to see what they make of S&M Man (Speedball, Penance, whatever his name is now). I’ll say it again – it is a good time to be a Nova fan.

Status: SAFE

Superman #662, $2.99, DC Comics. Due out 05/02/07. ON TIME

In all, a pretty decent issue to start on. It was very much an entre’act, a solid recap issue that introduced some ongoing plotlines and got the ball rolling on the stories to come. I don’t think we could have picked a better issue to jump onboard.

My one complaint is a small one, but it was so glaring that it disrupted an otherwise solid story. What the heck were they thinking with Zatanna there? She has always had a somewhat skimpy costume, but it was appropriate to the character. I can see her out of costume, but you would think she would at least throw on some PANTS before Superman came over. There was no reason for that whatsoever.

I think this was a positive switch, not having to wait for months on end for the next installment will make this a more enjoyable read.

Status: SAFE

The Exterminators #17, $2.99, DC Comics/Vertigo. Due out 05/07/07. Released 05/02/07

I have a feeling that I picked the wrong issue to start on. This issue wasn’t too steeped in continuity to be sure, but it was a little bland. I am sure to someone who has been following this title for a while it was probably a great deal more interesting than it was for me, who has absolutely no idea who these characters are. As it was, it just seemed like a pretty predicable turn of events – not much real meat to the story.

Based on past reviews, I am not ready to give up on this book yet. It did show promise, and the art was pretty solid. Hopefully it will be more enjoyable as I get into it a little more.

Status: SAFE

—

LATE OR UNRELEASED PULL LIST ISSUES
Noble Causes #30, $3.50, Image Comics. Due out 05/16/07.

-=MAY PULL LIST:=-
Titles carrying over:

Silent War #6, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due out 06/27/07.
Superman #663, $2.99, DC Comics. Due out 06/06/07.
The Exterminators #18, $2.99, Vertigo/DC Comics. Due out 06/06/07.
The Brave and the Bold #4, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/20/07.
Wyrms #5, $2.99, Marvel/Dabel Brothers. Due out 06/20/07.
Hellblazer #233, $2.99, DC Comics/Vertigo. Due out 06/20/07.
Noble Causes #31, $3.50, Image Comics. Due Out 06/13/07
Rex Libris #9, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due out 08/07.
Spider-man Loves Mary Jane #19, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/06/07
Jonah Hex #20, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 06/06/07.
Nova #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 06/13/07.

New Titles:

Fear Agent #1, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due out 06/13/07.

VERY much looking forward to this one. Fear Agent is to sci-fi what Jonah Hex is to the western – hope that the genre can still produce good stories in this superhero-dominated market. This title, like most Dark Horse efforts, is going to be a series of minis, but considering the shipping schedule of the book at Image, that probably means it is going to be a lot more regular.

We aren’t going to pick up where things left off in the last issue of Fear Agent until the next story, instead Remender is going to give us an origin story for Heath Huston. Which makes it a perfect time for a new reader to jump aboard and get to know this character before the story starts up again. Hopefully this one lives up to expectations.

World War Hulk #1, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due out 06/13/07.

Seems like a good time to give the event mini a shot. For most readers on a tight budget, these events are a real quandary. You want to get the main event itself, but the way they build in all of the tie-ins to force you to buy other books to really get the full story, is it possible to enjoy something like World War Hulk without cancelling half your list to accommodate the tie-ins? Well, let’s find out, shall we?

TOTAL: $40.89

Budget = $40.00 + $2.28 (Banked) + $3.77 (LATE books) = $46.05

$46.05 (Budget) – $40.89 (May issues) – $3.17 (tax) = $1.99 banked for May

As always, I have made a list to print out a list to take with you to the store: Here you go! Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the file – I am sure most of you have that though. If not, you can download the latest version for free at Adobe.com.

Post your comments in the Forum!