HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
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BOOSTER GOLD #0, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz; Art and cover by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund

The last time we have seen something like this was way back in the Deadpool team-Up issue that crossed over into Secret Wars II. This issue is the start of a brand new arc, that just happens to cross over into Zero Hour (hence the #0 numbering). If it weren’t for the Green Lantern titles, this would easily qualify as DC’s best book, which is a shock because no one expected a Booster Gold series to amount to anything. This is the beginning of a new arc, so it is a great time to try out the title. Especially for those of you who gave the first few issues a pass, and now regret that decision after all of the rave reviews.

FANTASTIC FOUR #554, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Mark Millar, Art by Bryan Hitch, Paul Neary, and Paul Mounts

Don’t let the marketing hype fool you - this is a huge risk on the part of Marvel.

Millar and Hitch are certainly a celebrated team - there can be no arguing that. But if you could pick one word to describe their run on the Ultimates, it would be “late.” Sure, Millar gets a lot of criticism for his style which often seems to consist of sensationalized moments wrapped in a bunch of padding, but the man clearly had some fans and sold issues, so there is little danger that his style would put people off Fantastic Four. This title, however, unlike the Ultimates, is a key part of the mainstream Marvel Universe. And with the current trend towards major events tying all the titles together, timeliness of A-List titles is an absolute must. But even with Marvel’s absolute promise that the entire second volume of the Ultimates would be worked on in advance and on time, it only took a couple of months for this team to slip back into chronic delays. And Marvel is making no such promises about timeliness here.

In no way does this mean that this run on Fantastic Four will be bad. In fact, it may well be quite entertaining. Only if you are planning on picking this up, history suggests that you shouldn’t expect more than 5 or 6 issues in the next year. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #21, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Sterling Gates; Art and Cover by Nelson

Speaking of the Green Lantern titles, this might be your best opportunity to jump aboard this book in the near future. It is the start of a new story arc, though the way the stories are running together between arcs and between this title and the Green Lantern ongoing, sometimes a new arc isn’t the best place. But the Sinestro Corps has wrapped up, and last issue served as something as an epilogue to that outstanding event, so while we are still dealing with continuing themes this is still the start of something fresh and new.

It will be some work - there are unfamiliar characters in this series for those who haven’t been following it from the beginning, and it might take an issue or two to get up to speed, but the book really is worth the work involved. It is important to reward quality with your hard-earned dollars, and there isn’t much that is better under the DC banner.

JLA CLASSIFIED #52, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Roger Stern; Art by John Byrne and Mark Farmer; Covers by Joshua Middleton

I am really enjoying Middleton’s covers on this series. Not sure he would be a good fit for a Justice League ongoing, but it would be good to see him handle the art chores on a mini series of some kind.

The fact that this is the last arc of this title’s run is well known - but it is still nice to note that they are going out with such a bang. JLA Classified lost its way a long time ago, but reading this story makes you wonder how popular this series might have been had it been written properly the whole time. JLA Classified could never follow the formula that makes JSA Classified such a success, but they could do well by telling stories from classic league incarnations (instead of tales from the end of the Pre-Infinite Crisis league). Stern and Byrne are doing just that - telling a solid Silver-Age League story. A nice way to send this title off.

TINY TITANS #1, $2.25, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Art Baltazar and Franco; Artwork and cover by Art Baltazar

Sidekick Elementary? OK, so the concept behind this title seems an awful lot like a Muppet Babies theme, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work. Of course, it is clearly targeted at the young reader, and using the Baby Teen Titans as a vehicle to introduce the DC Universe to a new generation of comic readers isn’t a bad way to go. It looks like the title will incorporate a blend of Titans from different eras, from Starfire to Miss Martian, which isn’t a bad idea either. Should be a fun, harmless little series that will be a great buy if you have children of your own.

X-FORCE #1, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Christopher Yost and Craig Kyle, Art by Clayton Crain

The joke has been made many times, but this probably is the closest we will ever actually come to having an X-team made up of five Wolverines. Not being a fan of the “clone” characters, for my part, it is nice to see them all lumped together in one title!

Still, they have their fans, especially those who like X-23, and with the recent shake-up in the X-Universe, this is the book to go if you are looking for her (since it doesn’t seem like she is a part of the Young X-Men series forthcoming). This team looks like it is going to be the JLA Elite of the mutant universe - a team brought in to handle the dirty jobs that the normal X-Men wouldn’t want to touch. Probably going to be a lot of action and a high body count, which does appeal to some readers. Worth sampling at the very least.

SPOTLIGHT PICK OF THE WEEK

NOVA ANNUAL #1, $3.99, Marvel Comics
Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, Art by Wellington Alves Klebs Jr., Mahmud Asar, and Guru-EFX

Never thought I would see the day that Nova would not only be one of the most acclaimed titles in the Marvel line-up. Getting an Annual is just one more perk of that new status! This issue looks like it will tie into Annihilation: Conquest as well - not totally sure if there is anyone out there who is reading that event that isn’t also picking up Nova, but just in case - this is an issue to look out for.

There is little to be said about this title that already hasn’t been. It really is the best book Marvel has on the stands right now - bar none. If you aren’t buying it, now is as good a time as any to start.

DARK HORSE

BPRD 1946 #2 (OF 5) $2.99 Now: $2.69

DC COMICS

BAT LASH #3 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.59
BATMAN STRIKES #42 $2.25 Now: $1.99
BOOSTER GOLD #0 $2.99 Now: $2.69
COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 11 $2.99 Now: $2.89
GEN 13 #17 $2.99 Now: $2.59
GOTHAM UNDERGROUND #5 (OF 9) $2.99 Now: $2.69
GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #5 $2.99 Now: $2.69
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #21 $2.99 Now: $2.69
JLA CLASSIFIED #52 $2.99 Now: $2.69
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES IN THE 31ST CENTURY #11 $2.25 Now: $1.99
SUPERMAN #673 $2.99 Now: $2.69
TINY TITANS #1 $2.25 Now: $1.99
WONDER WOMAN #17 $2.99 Now: $2.59

DEVIL’S DUE

GI JOE AMERICAS ELITE #32 $3.50 Now: $2.99

MARVEL COMICS

AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #17 $2.99 Now: $2.59
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #550 $2.99 Now: $2.69
BLACK PANTHER #34 $2.99 Now: $2.69
CAPTAIN MARVEL #3 (OF 5) $2.99 Now: $2.69
CIVIL WAR CHRONICLES #8 $4.99 Now: $4.39
EXILES TP VOL 16 STARTING OVER $19.99 Now: $15.99
FANTASTIC FOUR #554 $2.99 Now: $2.59
FANTASTIC FOUR #554 BIANCHI VAR $14.99
FANTASTIC FOUR #554 SUYDAM SKRULL VAR $49.99
FANTASTIC FOUR LOST ADVENTURE $4.99 Now: $4.49
IRON MAN ENTER MANDARIN #5 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.69
MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #36 $2.99 Now: $2.59
NEW AVENGERS #38 $2.99 Now: $2.69
NEW EXILES #2 $2.99 Now: $2.69
NOVA ANNUAL #1 $3.99 Now: $2.69
PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #16 $3.49 Now: $2.69
SPIDER MAN TP BACK IN BLACK $24.99 Now: $18.99
SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #7 $4.99 Now: $4.49
WOLVERINE #62 $2.99 Now: $2.69
X-FACTOR #28 $2.99 Now: $2.69
X-FORCE #1 $2.99 Now: $2.25

STEVER GERBER DEAD

This isn’t exactly sudden, but it is sad nonetheless. After a battle with pulmonary fibrosis, Steve Gerber passed away this Sunday.

Gerber is one of those creators that left his mark on the industry in a very major way, but since the most notable character he helped create was Howard the Duck, a lot of newer comic fans might not know his name. For my part, though Howard the Duck is an outstanding character, my favorite Gerber creation is the more recent Hard Time, of the now defunct DC Focus line. Gerber’s bout with pulmonary fibrosis was well-known, so his death isn’t a total shock (his health was one of the major reasons the Doctor Fate ongoing never came to be), but it is tragic nonetheless.

Thanks for the great work Steve - you will be missed!

GOODBYE SEAN MCKEEVER, HELLO AGAIN TONY BEDARD

His run only lasted five issues, but Sean McKeever has bowed out of Birds of Prey, electing to spend his entire focus on Teen Titans. Tony Bedard, who helmed the issues between Gail Simone and Sean McKeever, will be returning to the book as the full-time writer, starting with May’s issue #118.

It is kind of a shame that McKeever wasn’t able to take this title where he wanted to, but in a way this is kind of a good thing. As a fan of McKeever’s work, it was a little scary seeing him go from a couple minor Marvel books to two DC title’s of this level of import. McKeever is the kind of writer that could do well on either title (moreso Teen Titans, as writing teenagers seems to be his strong suit), but it did seem like it was a lot for him to take on all at once.

Bedard did a solid job on the title in the interim, and he will no doubt do even better now that he is free to make his own long-term plans for the character. As for McKeever, well, this will allow him to spend more time on Teen Titans, which will make it that much better. So win-win!

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

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