HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
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AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #19, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written bt Tom DeFalco, Art by Ron Frenz, Sal Bucema, and Impacto

Ah, now this issue brings back some memories. Way, way back, during one of the many times Marvel announced that Spider-Girl was cancelled (and the fans revolted), Arana was just getting her own series. Oh, the hatred! Why cancel one Spider-Girl, only to give another her own book? Well, after three years, Spider-Girl is still with us, and Arana’s title has long since passed. So why not finally have these two come face-to-face? It makes sense that Arana would still be alive in May’s time, only all grown up and much more than a “Spider-Girl.”

I expect this will be a decent popcorn read. Especially if you remember early 2005 like I do when it comes to this mini-feud!

NOVA #12, $2.99, 32 pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, Art by Paul Pelletier, Rick Maygar, and Guru-EFX

It has gotten to the point where this title shouldn’t have to be mentioned. It is so good that you should all be buying it automatically. But when you look at the sales for the book, it is barely in the top 100. 75th in January! You all like good comics, right? This is a great comic! It isn’t a stretch to say that this is the best comic Marvel is publishing right now!

Seriously, if you aren’t reading it, you need to buy a copy this month. This goes double for all of you old New Mutants fans who are wondering what Warlock has been up to all this time. Nova should be top ten in sales every month, no question.

SERENITY BETTER DAYS #2 (OF 3), $2.99, 32 Pages, Dark Horse
Written by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews, Art by Will Conrad and Michelle Madsen

It may not be on TV, but Firefly in comic form is better than no Firefly at all. Sure, it doesn’t pick up where the movie left off - but I always kind of looked at Serenity as an ending - just so we could all see the ending, in case no other stories ever came to pass. The comics are like icing - giving us things we might have gotten had the show continued on the air (like it should have!). The first issue of this short mini was solid - not unlike the last mini. Dark Horse can keep putting these out as far as I am concerned - I will buy them all (so long as they stay this good!).

TITANS #1, $3.50, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Judd Winick; Art and Cover by Ian Churchill and Norm Rapmund; Variant Cover by Ethan Van Sciver

Admittedly, this one is a head scratcher. The current Teen Titans book is fine - and almost all of the old Titans have some kind of profile in the DCU - so why start a new Old New (err, that sounds right) Teen Titans book? It looks like the old crew is getting back together - The Flash, Nightwing, Donna Troy, Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven, Red Arrow, and Cyborg (of course, the latter hasn’t been mentioned anywhere, but who else’s big metal hand is that?). The creative team on this book is solid, so you can’t expect a total dud here, though you do have to wonder where exactly DC is planning to go with this. Titles like this don’t just pop up out of the blue, especially right before a “Crisis.” Might be worth watching.

WONDER WOMAN #19, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Gail Simone; Art and Cover by Bernard Chang

One thing that is really striking about Simone’s take on Wonder Woman is the way she is positioning her “crime-fighting philosophy.” Batman is dark, brutal, and unforgiving. “Evil should be punished.” Superman is the boy scout, the noble, unerring one - the protector above all else. “Evil should be defended against.” Wonder Woman, at least in Simone’s eyes, is way more compassionate. A redeemer. She looks to the souls of those she defeats. The distinction has always been there, but for a very long time, no writer has been capable of really distinguishing for her partners in the “DC Trinity” so well.

Simone is, of course, on a roll on Wonder Woman. This is the second part of an arc, but it is never too late to give it a shot. Simone usually builds slow - in a few months, this book is going to be one of those titles you shouldn’t be missing.

SPOTLIGHT PICK OF THE WEEK

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #23, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Peter J. Tomasi; Art and Cover by Patrick Gleason and Prentis Rollins

The regular team is back this month, and not a moment too soon. Everyone needs a break from time to time, but the last arc (the fill-in) really left a lot to be desired. This arc sends the Corps out to deal with the remaining Yellow Power Rings from the Sinestro Corps War. Of course, it won’t be as easy as that, since Mongul wants the rings for himself. It is unclear where this title is going to go once Final Crisis hits full swing, so this might just end up being a filler arc. It has the makings of a decent read though, so it is worth checking out. The last fill-in arc aside, Tomasi and crew have done a fantastic job on this book. There is no reason to expect the quality to start to dip now.

DARK HORSE

SERENITY BETTER DAYS #2 (OF 3) $2.99 Now: $2.59
STAR WARS EPISODE VI RETURN OF JEDI PHOTO COMIC TP $9.95 Now: $8.44
STAR WARS TALES O/T JEDI OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 $24.95 Now: $19.99

DC COMICS

BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #16 $2.99 Now: $2.69
BATMAN DEATH MASK #1 (OF 4) $2.99 Now: $4.99
BOOSTER GOLD #8 $2.99 Now: $2.69
COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 3 $2.99 Now: $2.69
GEN 13 #19 $2.99 Now: $2.59
GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #7 $2.99 Now: $2.69
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #23 $2.99 Now: $2.69
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #14 $2.99 Now: $2.59
NUMBER OF THE BEAST #1 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.59
SIMON DARK #7 $2.99 Now: $2.59
SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #14 $2.99 Now: $2.69
TINY TITANS #3 $2.25 Now: $1.99
TITANS #1 $3.50 Now: $2.99
WONDER WOMAN #19 $2.99 Now: $2.69

IDW

FX #2 (OF 6) $3.99 Now: $3.49

MARVEL COMICS

AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #19 $2.99 Now: $2.69
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #556 $2.99 Now: $2.69
CIVIL WAR CHRONICLES #10 $4.99 Now: $4.39
FALLEN SON TP DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA $13.99 Now: $10.99
FANTASTIC FOUR #556 $2.99 Now: $2.69
HEDGE KNIGHT 2 SWORN SWORD #6 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.59
LAST DEFENDERS #2 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.69
MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK #10 $2.99 Now: $2.59
MARVEL ZOMBIES HC DEAD DAYS $29.99 Now: $23.99
NOVA #12 $2.99 Now: $2.59
WHAT IF TP CIVIL WAR $16.99 Now: $213.99
WOLVERINE #64 $2.99 Now: $2.69
WOLVERINE PREM HC DEATH OF WOLVERINE $19.99 Now: $15.99

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

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