On The Shelf This Week - 07.23.08
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
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AMBUSH BUG YEAR NONE #1 (OF 6), $2.99, 32 Pages. DC Comics
Written by Keith Giffen and Robert Loren Fleming; Art by Giffen and Al Milgrom; Cover by J.H. Williams III; Variant Cover by Giffen
Giffen is back again with his Amush Bug creation - this will be a great pick-up for anyone looking for a light-hearted read. There is a lot to spoof in comics these days, and with so much revolving around heavy themes and overhyped major event crossovers, sometimes it is nice to have something you can just laugh at. This series is the right medicine for that.
There have been some recent appearances of Ambush Bug, either as a brief cameo or mention, but he hasn’t had a real solid appearance since 52. A good sure bet this week.
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #15, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Dan Slott and Christos Gage, Art by Harvey Tolibao and Daniele Rudoni
It isn’t an exaggeration to say that this is one of Marvel’s “Must Read” titles. The Slott/Gage combination has proven to be a winner, and as “Avengers” titles go, this one is consistently well written and entertaining. Even if that is contrary to logic - the whole genesis of this title was an event tie-in, and it continues to be neck-deep in event plotlines (Secret Invasion, this time), Gage and Slott have managed to make the events integral parts of the title’s ongoing story, instead of a distraction. A definite safe bet this week.
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #17, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Duane Swierczynski, Art by Travel Foreman and Matt Milla
Creative team changes sometimes are heralded with great fanfare, but sometimes they are greeted with a collective gasp and cringe from the readers. Sadly, this might be one of the latter. Brubaker, Fraction, and Aja quietly made this book one of Marvel’s best, and their departure in favor of Cable’s Swierczynski definitely earned the ire of some long-time readers. This probably does signal that the title will be drawing a little bit closer to the overall universe, which is great for readers who dig the interconnected universe, but it probably means the end of the deep story and breathtaking art that we have come to expect from this book. Still - it could end up being a decent action read - so all hope isn’t lost for this book.¬
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #23, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Dwayne McDuffie; Art and cover by Ed Benes
So far this arc is off to a pretty good start, which is a good sign. It is kind of hard to believe that this title is almost two years old. Not really in a good way - for all the fanfare surrounding this title’s relaunch, it has been horribly overrated and frankly outshined by Justice Society of America through most of its run. Not that this is necessarily the fault of the creative team - DC has been mired in Events or Event Gear-Up though this title’s entire history. Still, this story pretty well stands on its own, which almost goes to show that we generally do get better stories out of a title when they are more inward focused. Some readers of late may have been vacillating about this title - hate to prolong what might be the inevitable, but this might not be the arc to finally decide to drop it. It might even be a good issue to give this book a try. Hopefully this is the beginning of a permanent improvement for Justice League of America.
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #44, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Jim Shooter; Art and cover by Francis Manapul and Livesay; Variant Cover by Neal Adams
Shooter’s return to the Legion of Superheroes has thus-far been a success. This isn’t totally a surprise, but whenever someone returns to a title after thirty-some years, it is a little scary. But he did hit the ground running, and has so far managed to bring back his own feel for the book, without discounting what has happened to these characters in the passing decades.
Legion, for a long time, has been a love or hate title. Mark Waid did an excellent job writing the book, but his style on this title was a real turn-off to a lot of readers which made it difficult for the book to get a more universal appeal. Bedard’s short stint was decent, but it was really just filler for Shooter’s return. Shooter’s arrival has ended up signifying the end of that “love or hate” period, opening the title up to more universal acceptance. Or at the very least “love or kinda like” instead of “love or hate.”
SPOTLIGHT PICK OF THE WEEK
UNCANNY X-MEN #500, $3.99, Marvel Comics
Written by Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction, Art by Greg Land, Terry Dodson, and Justin Ponsor
500 issues of Uncanny X-Men - man, 500 issues. This is a big one for Marvel - Uncanny, if I am not mistaken, is the only Marvel title to have actually lasted 500 issues without renumbering, volume merging, or any other later-reversed #1 relaunches. An achievement to say the least.
As often happens around the time of a major milestone issue, the X-Men have had a bit of a status quo shift with their move to the West Coast. This issue promises to “begin” the new era for the X-Men, so you can bet that it will be extremely new reader friendly, and probably action packed. Should be some tributes to history as well, with Sentinels, Magneto, and Master Mold promised to appear. Brubaker and Fraction are an absolutely outstanding team - this looks like it could be a solid start to a strong run of issues. About time the X-Men was good for a change…
DC COMICS
AMBUSH BUG YEAR NONE #1 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.69
BATMAN #676 RIP 3RD PTG $2.99 Now: $2.69
BATMAN GOTHAM AFTER MIDNITE #3 (OF 12) $2.99 Now: $2.69
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #15 $2.99 Now: $2.69
DMZ #33 $2.99 Now: $2.59
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #23 $2.99 Now: $2.69
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #44 $2.99 Now: $2.69
TRINITY #8 $2.99 Now: $2.69
TWO FACE YEAR ONE #1 (OF 2) $5.99 Now: $4.99
MARVEL COMICS
ANGEL REVELATIONS #3 (OF 5) $3.99 Now: $3.49
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #15 $2.99 Now: $2.69
DAREDEVIL #109 $2.99 Now: $2.59
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #17 $2.99 Now: $2.69
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #17 AJA VAR $9.99
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #17 DRAGON LOGO VAR $18.99
MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES #1 $2.99 Now: $2.69
NEW AVENGERS #43 $2.99 Now: $2.69
SHE-HULK #31 $2.99 Now: $2.59
ULTIMATE X-MEN #96 $2.99 Now: $2.69
UNCANNY X-MEN #500 $3.99 Now: $3.59
WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #5 $2.99 Now: $2.69
X-MEN LEGACY #214 $2.99 Now: $2.69
Ender’s Game Mini
In the recently announced Marvel Solicits for October was the announcement of a comic adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game series. This should be fantastic. The Dabel version of Wyrms was solid, but since Ender’s Game is Card’s most famous title, this adaptation is going to be much, much bigger news. I am also glad to see it is Ender’s Game solo - and not a melt of that and Ender’s Shadow. The latter title (and series) were interesting, but this sort of thing will be much better with Ender’s Game all on its own. Glad to see they are finally doing this.
Kirkman Named Image Partner
All I can say is, what took them so long? Invincible and the Walking Dead have come to represent Image every bit as much as Spawn and Savage Dragon. It may have been the first time this has ever happened since Image was founded, but then again, we haven’t seen a character like Invincible come around since the label was founded. This most certainly dashes any hope of seeing Invincible ever migrate to Marvel, but it is great news for Kirkman. Hopefully it leads to some real positive change at Image.
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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July 16, 2008
On The Shelf This Week - 07.16.08
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
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FINAL CRISIS ROGUES REVENGE #1 (OF 3), $3.99, DC Comics, 40 Pages
Written by Geoff Johns; Art and covers by Scott Kolins
OK, so Final Crisis isn’t what it was cracked up to be. Few really thought it would - but if we have learned anything over the past could years of Major Event Mania, it’s that there are often little gems to be found in the tie-ins to the major events. This might be one of them.
It is hard to forget Geoff Johns’ outstanding run on the Flash - he is still missed on that book, in fact. That is a perfect reason to give him a chance here - he has proven he can write a fantastic Flash story, especially when it involves the Rogues. Of course, DC is promoting that horrible “It is a Crisis, so a Flash has to die” thing again, which could be a bad tiding for this story, but we can hope that DC has learned from its mistake last time here. Johns is the best Flash writer in recent memory - this series should be a safe bet.
FOOLKILLER WHITE ANGELS #1 (OF 5), $3.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics (MAX)
Written by Gregg Hurwitz, Art by Paul Azaceta
The last Foolkiller series was semi-decent. Not quite as thought provoking as Gerber’s original (this one seemed more Punisher), but if you like gory, violent comics, you probably enjoyed the last one. It didn’t win any stellar reviews, but sales must have been good enough to warrant a second run.
Of course, speaking of Punisher, this series is heavily hinting that Frank will be making an appearance in this story, crossing paths with Foolkiller as he hunts down a White Supremacist gang. Hopefully Hurwitz takes this opportunity to contrast some of the differences between the two characters, to put to rest the notion that the Foolkiller is little more than a Punisher clone.
HELLBLAZER #246, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Jason Aaron; Art by Sean Murphy; Cover by Lee Bermejo
It might have been a bit of a downer to get a fill-in arc so early into Diggle’s run, but this one hasn’t turned out too bad so far. Of course, Jason Aaron’s name just kinda popped on the map - he has a creator-owned title (Scalped) being put out by Vertigo that is getting good reviews, and he just signed an exclusive with Marvel, and is already drawing Eisner nominations. Some decent credentials to say the least. Looks like this is one fill-in worth checking out.
For those who are still pining for Diggle’s return - you will get than next month. Just a little longer!
MIGHTY AVENGERS #16, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Khoi Pham and Jason Keith
Well, it probably isn’t as important of a mystery as Marvel would like you to believe, but in terms of retcon, it will be interesting to see how far back Marvel is going to introduce this Elektra-Skrull thing. Was she a Skrull back during that horrible Enemy of the State Wolverine story? Even farther? This issue is supposed to answer that question, and tell us exactly when Elektra was replaced. Probably not enough of a resolution to attract new readers, but if you are really into the Secret Invasion story, this is an issue you can’t miss.
SKY DOLL #3 (OF 3), $5.99, Marvel Comics
Written by Barbara Canepa, Alessandro Barbucci, and C.B. Cebulski, Art by Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa
The worst part of this? This is the last Sky-Doll for a while. Issue #4 hasn’t even been released in Europe yet! You would think that Soliel was Image Comics or something - they have been working on issue #4 since before Sky-Doll was originally released in America 2 years ago in Heavy Metal Magazine. Frustrating - this is a great story with a lot of complexity and flat-out beautiful art. Should Marvel have waited to release this one? Maybe - but then, 
considering how long it has been since #3 was first released in Europe.
Hopefully Canepa steps up the pace on production, so we can see the rest of this story before it fades away into distant memory.
SPOTLIGHT PICK OF THE WEEK
UNIVERSAL WAR ONE #1 (OF 3), $5.99, Marvel Comics
Written by Denis Bajram and Paul Benjamin, Art by Denis Bajram
Well, Sky-Doll has been outstanding - makes spending the money on this new Soliel release that much easier. This series looks like it will have more of a hard sci-fi angle than the cultural sci-fi we see in Sky Doll, retelling a civil war between the outer and inner planets of the Solar System. Hm, sounds a little like Firefly. Unlike Firefly, in this series, a strange wall has divided the warring planets, and this series follows a crew who has been sent to investigate the mysterious phenomenon. Sounds interesting - a good sci-fi premise. This story has received its share of acclaim overseas, so it must be something worth checking out. Could be a good read.
DC COMICS
BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #9 $2.99 Now: $2.69
CHECKMATE #28 $2.99 Now: $2.59
COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS TP VOL 02 $19.99 Now: $15.99
FINAL CRISIS ROGUES REVENGE #1 (OF 3) $3.99 Now: $3.49
FLASH #242 $2.99 Now: $2.69
HELLBLAZER #246 $2.99 Now: $2.59
WORLD OF WARCRAFT #9 $2.99 Now: $2.69
DEVIL’S DUE COMICS
FORGOTTEN REALMS THE LEGACY #3 (OF 3) $5.50 Now: $4.99
WORLDS OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS TP VOL 01 $18.99 Now: $15.99
MARVEL COMICS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #566 $2.99 Now: $2.69
FOOLKILLER WHITE ANGELS #1 (OF 5) $3.99 Now: $3.49
IRON MAN DIRECTOR OF SHIELD #31 $2.99 Now: $2.69
MARVEL ILLUSTRATED ILIAD #8 (OF 8) $2.99 Now: $2.59
MIGHTY AVENGERS #16 $2.99 Now: $2.69
SKAAR SON OF HULK #1 2ND PTG $2.99 Now: $2.59
SKY DOLL #3 (OF 3) $5.99 Now: $4.99
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #56 $2.99 Now: $2.69
ULTIMATE X-MEN TP VOL 18 APOCALYPSE $13.99 Now: $11.99
UNIVERSAL WAR ONE #1 (OF 3) $5.99 Now: $5.39
WAR IS HELL FIRST FLIGHT PHANTOM EAGLE MAX #5 (OF 5) $3.99 Now: $3.49
X-FACTOR #33 $2.99 Now: $2.69
FAVREAU UP FOR ANOTHER
The Iron Man film to me has been the shock of the summer - perhaps it was my low expectations, but of the comic films that have been released thus-far, it has been the most enjoyable. We will see how that holds up once I see Hellboy (and Batman is released), but it is a great start.
That makes this news all the better - Jon Favreau has officially signed to direct the sequel. It might seem like that was going to happen regardless, but after Marvel released a tentative date for the sequel hitting theaters without even contacting Favreau to secure his services (and later accusations of Marvel dodging and a lowball contract offer: all rumors), there was some fear that studio-director conflict might put an end to that partnership and place the film in the hands of a new director. Comic movie-goers certainly can think of a few examples of the worst that can happen with a popular franchise gets a new director.
But it is all happy and good - Favreau is on for the sequel, and we will likely see it in 2010, if not the next year if things don’t go smoothly!
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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July 7, 2008
On The Shelf In September 2008
DARK HORSE COMICS
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Page 26 - Solomon Kane #1 (of 5), $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Scott Allie, Art by Mario Guevara, Dave Stewart, Joe Kubert, and John Cassaday
Pretty well everyone out there has at least a passing familiarity with Robert Howard’s most popular and enduring creation, Conan the Barbarian. Some might not be so familiar with some of the other characters he created. Solomon Kane was seem mostly in Weird Tales and Red Shadows, and the character was later portrayed in comic form by Marvel in several different titles over a couple decades.
The history lesson aside, there is an easy way to see if this book will be for you - Dark Horse has posted an 8 Page Solomon Kane story (by the same creative team as the mini) on their Dark Horse Presents Myspace Page. Check it out - the story isn’t bad, and it has a strange cowboy/fantasy feel. There is definitely an audience out there for this.
DC COMICS
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Page 58 - DC Universe: Decisions #1 (of 4), $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Judd Winick & Bill Willingham, Art by Rick Leonardi
Politics. Sometimes (well, lately), it is the bane of comics. Political viewpoints are often a good way to bring depth to a character, but all-too-often these days we have seen writers not use political ideologies to do that, but rather to soapbox about some current event they feel the need to preach about. Not good.
Politics is undeniably a part of the DCU, in some fashion, but it usually is presented much better. The Hawkman/Green Arrow political feud is the classic example of this - Both fall on opposite sides of the political spectrum ideology-wise, but both are heroes who respect one another in the end. It isn’t too often that you see a writer abuse a Green Arrow story by using it to make some point about how evil Bush, or some other Republican is, or another use Hawkman to alienate Liberal readers. The basic ideologies are there, but the best stories remain untainted by current events.
Hopefully, this mini continues the trend of having DC exist in its own political bubble - the one that elected Luthor President in 2000, and not some quasi-realistic reality where there are strong similarities to the current real political environment. Willingham has a good history of the “good” kind of political presentation in comics, and the balance between a right-leaning Willingham and a left-leaning Winick should keep things on an even keel. I am not sure I ever really wanted to know if Batman and Superman were Republicans or Democrats, but if we were going to find out, might as well make it a good story. Hopefully Winick and Willingham deliver here.
Page 63 - Secret Six #1, $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Gail Simone, Art by Nicola Scott and Doug Hazlewood
A new Secret Six series is good, especially penned by Gail Simone. Catman and Ragdoll don’t get nearly enough exposure these days, and she does such a good job with the characters. Of course, there will be two new members - DC is starting to do the same kind of redacting in the solicits that Marvel does these days (really kind of annoying - either write the solicit with no spoilers or tell us if it is so important!), so who they are will be a surprise. This is a strong team with a good recent history - this issue should be a good one to pick up.
Page 64 - El Diablo #1 (of 6), $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Jai Nitz, Art by Phil Hester & Ande Parks
Recently we have seen Jai Nitz as the writer of the “all-Spanish” issue of Blue Beetle - before that, he was writing the Batman Strikes comic… maybe not the best resume, but a series like this is a good place to start. The series is going to feature a new El Diablo named Chato Santana, a criminal, who in the present day gets involved with a somehow still living Lazarus Lane, the original El Diablo. It would have almost been preferable to get a new Lazarus Lane series set at the same time as Jonah Hex, but that doesn’t mean this series will be bad, per se. Could be worth a peak.
Page 67 - Superman #680, $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by James Robinson, Art by Renato Guedes and José Wilson Magalhaes
Robinson got his start on issue #677 this past month, and already the jitters are gone. It looks like Superman is in safe hands - and Krypto as well! Superpets in general are a bad idea, but for some reason Krypto just works, and when he is used properly, great things result. This issue might be an example of that as the Canine of Steel takes center stage to step up for a fallen Superman. Good stuff.
Page 78 - Jonah Hex #35, $2.99, 32 Pages.
Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, Art by J.H. Williams III
One of the only real drawbacks of this title has been the rotating art teams - well, it looks like in September, we will be getting a good one. Promethea readers will remember J.H. Williams III - and while Promethea as a complete story fell apart and ultimately was a failure, the art on that tile was always amazing. If he brings that level of quality to this issue, it is going to be a real treat to look at. The story should be good - as always - hopefully Williams doesn’t ruin us for the artists that are sure to follow on this title.
Page 87 - The Spirit: Femmes Fatale TP, $19.99, 192 Pages
By Will Eisner
So there is a Spirit movie coming out this December - heard about it? There is a teaser trailer out… go ahead - check it out…
OK, now that you are done screaming, take a little solice. This trade will be out in October - you can keep it handy and read The Spirit - clean and pure, as Will Eisner intended, instead of going to the movies to see Sin City 2.
Now Sin City was a good movie. But The Spirit is not Sin City, it should never be done in the style of Sin City, and Frank Miller shouldn’t be allowed to go anywhere near it. It is almost like blasphemy.
Sorry - so much anger about this. There are just some things you don’t ruin. It was scary enough when Darwyn Cooke started the new Spirit series, and he is someone who’s credentials when it comes to classic remakes can only be described as “impeccable.” The fact that anyone let the man responsible for All Star Batman anywhere near the Spirit is impossible to believe. What is next - Chuck Austen and Howard Chaykin on a Mary Marvel movie?
Deep breath - back to The Spirit trade… ah yes, 23 stories to wash the pain away…
IMAGE COMICS
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Page 132 - Back to Brooklyn #1 (of 5), $2.99, 32 Pages
Written by Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti, Art by Mihailio Vukelic
Not quite the Punisher, but this looks like it will definitely satisfy those fans who are still mourning Ennis’s departure from the Punisher comic. There are a few advance pages of this comic in the recent Previews and they look pretty good. It follows one brother, under arrest and giving up his other brother to the police. Only he ends up killing all the police who are sent after him. So Bob asks to go after his brother himself. Could be an interesting, if violent read.
Page 138 - Four Eyes #1, $3.50, 24 Pages
Written by Joe Kelly, Art by Max Fiumara
Talk about a twist in a concept - this story is about a ten year old boy in Brooklyn during the Great Depression who must sacrifice to take care of his mother. Sounds like a nice, introspective, historical character story, no? Only the job he takes is training dragons in the Ring of Fire for combat! Certainly an inventive idea to say the least…
Page 144 - Kick Drum Comix #1 (of 2), $5.99, 48 Pages
By Jim Mahfood
There are few more original creators in comics today than Jim Mahfood. It has been a couple years, but it looks as if we are finally getting a new original work by him. It also looks like Justin Stewart will be doing the ink and color on at least the cover of #2 (I don’t see him credited on #1, but it is hard to miss that “Stew” on the side of the drum) - which is great news indeed.
Mahfood is a dense read just because of the pure chaos in his art - every inch of his pages is full of little tidbits. Take your time with this one, and you will enjoy it.
MARVEL COMICS
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Page M3 - The Stand: Captain Trips #1 (of 5), $3.99, 32 Pages
Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Art by Mike Perkins
Page M7 - Dark Tower: Treachery #1 (of 6), $3.99, 40 Pages
Written by Robin Furth and Peter David, Art by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove
Well - it looks like the Dark Tower adaptations have been really popular, so why not try another Stephen King epic? This will most likely be the first of several mini arcs (I can’t imagine adapting The Stand in just 5 issues). Yet another Dark Tower mini begins this month as well, so there will be plenty this month to keep you King fans out there busy. If you missed the start of the Dark Tower and are now regretting it, here is another opportunity not to miss.
Page M6 - Samurai #1 (of 4), $5.99, 56 Pages
Written by Jean-Francois Di Giorgio and Jake Forbes, Art by Frederic Genet
Another new Soliel book getting its start this month is Samurai - which is quite obviously set in feudal Japan. SkyDoll has proven to be a strong opening effort for this European line. Even with the smaller pages, the art is still beautiful and the story doesn’t seem to suffer much at all from the translation. Similar hopes for Samurai - of course, samurai stories are often a dime a dozen, but this story was a bestseller in Europe for a reason. There is certainly an affinity for Japanese culture here in America - the Samurai has always been a popular subject matter in stories, so the interest is there. It will be interesting to see a European take on the genre. Hopefully it holds up well in the American format.
Page M10 - Ultimate X-Men/Fantastic Four Annual #1, $3.99, 48 Pages
Written by Aron Coleite & Joe Pokaski, Art by Brandon Peterson
Everyone else is having their spectacular events, why not the Ultimate Universe? (One might answer that one of the good things about the Ultimate Universe has been that stories weren’t constantly broken up for major events, but we will let that one rest a while). This is the first of two Annuals this month that will tie into “Ultimatum” - the second being Ultimate Fantastic Four/X-Men Annual #1. Confusing? It sure is. I see what they are trying to accomplish there, but the titles do need work. About Ultimatum, I wonder, will we get to see the Ultimate Underground Liberated Totally Integrated Mobile Army To Unite Mankind? I suppose that would be U.U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M…. so I guess that wouldn’t work. If you intend to be following this Ultimate X-Men and Fantastic Four crossover, you definitely need to pick up both of these issues.
Page M18 - Big Hero 6 #1 (of 5), $3.99, 48 Pages
Written by Chris Claremont, Art by David Nakayama
Big Hero 6 - basically, Japan’s Alpha Flight. This mini will feature 4 of the original members (minus Silver Samurai and Sunfire), but who the remaining two are is yet unrevealed. Probably safe to say that they will ne new characters, since I can’t seem to recognize them on the cover. I do say that I like David Nakayama’s idea to push the art in a more manga-influenced direction. Some might look at that as a bit of pandering to the fans of Manga, but it really makes some sense. Perhaps not as a permanent change, but it is something worthy trying. Overall, it does kind of have the look of a couple old Tsunami books like Sentinel and Runaways - not sure if the tone is going to be the same, but that line had a lot of good titles, so it isn’t a bad thing to hope for.
Page M34 - Marvel Apes #1 (of 4), $3.99, 40 Pages
Written by Karl Kesel, Art by Ramon Bachs
It’s a fact - when it comes to Simians, DC is miles ahead of Marvel. Is this the first step towards a level playing field? Marvel Apes recalls the old J.L.Ape crossover DC did some years back, with more of a Marvel Zombies flare. In this story, there is an alternate universe where the other simian species rule, and humans don’t exist at all. This series is going to be completely ridiculous, and as long as you go into it with that in mind, it is sure to be enjoyable. There is nothing at all wrong with silly - as long as it is fun. This should be that. High cover price, but there are extra pages, a back-up story, and no ads, so you get every penny.
Page 44 - Deadpool #1, $3.99, 48 Pages
Written by Daniel Way, Art by Paco Medina
Deadpool’s solo book is finally here. Granted - it isn’t the ideal situation. It is tough coming off of Fabian Nicieza’s excellent portrayal, but Way did a passable job with the character during his arc on Wolverine Origins. And Medina is a solid artist - way, way better than Steve Dillion, who was supposed to be on this book. Thank heaven for small favors. So it might not be perfect, but it is far and away better than no Deadpool at all, so it’s a start. This series is starting right off with a Secret Invasion tie in - also not ideal, but if anyone has experience saving the planet from an alien threat, its Deadpool, right? High hopes for this one. Two issues will be out this month, so look for them both.
Page M60 - Sub-Mariner: The Depths #1, $3.99, 32 Pages
Written by Peter Milligan, Art by Esad Ribic
A new Marvel Knights mini, this time with a darker look at Namor, the Sub-Mariner. This series looks like it could be a really good one - it will follow the story of Randolph Stein, a deep-sea explorer, who is lost deep in the sea near the Marianes trench. There he finds - well, as you might have guessed, Atlantis. His experiences will be the core of this story. This should be a more… realistic look at Namor (well, as realistic as he can be) which will make an excellent fantasy tale. Looking forward to this.
Page M64 - The Twelve #1/2, $3.99, 48 Pages
Written by Joe Simon, Joe Cal Cagno, & Stan Lee, Art by Joe Simon, Al Carreno, & Basil Wolverton
A little more color for those of you who are enjoying The Twelve, and wouldn’t mind having a little more background on some of the characters. No new material here - this issue features reprints of old stories from Daring Mystery Comics, Human Torch Comics, and USA Comics - some of the early Fiery Mask, Mister E, and Rockman stories. If you are the type who doesn’t like reprints, this is one to avoid. Considering the obscurity of these characters, there is a good chance that you haven’t read any of these stories yet, which might make it more palatable.
INDEPENDENT COMICS
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Page 350 - T-Bird and Throttle #1, #3.25, 32 Pages, Viper Comics
By Josh Howard
If there is one indie publisher out there you can count on, its Viper. Sure there are publishers like Oni, who put out good stuff, but their products have a very narrow market. Viper generally has a universal appeal - and they consistently put out quality work that is too often under the radar. (On a side note, did you hear that the Middleman has been made into a TV show on ABC Family? I sure missed that news… I’m actually going to have to watch that channel now?)
Here is a new series from Viper’s original “star,” Josh Howard, of Dead@17 fame. This one looks like a bit of a superhero story - T-Bird being a former astronaut who gained super powers from a mysterious alien device. This one look like it might probably be a “superhero gone wrong” kind of story, at least with public perception. Should be a good one to try out this month.
Craig’s Top Five of the Month
5 - Jonah Hex #35, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics Really looking forward to seeing what J.H. Williams III will do with this issue.
4 - Samurai #1 (of 4), $5.99, 56 Pages Soliel is off to a great start in the States.
3 - Marvel Apes #1 (of 4), $3.99, 40 Pages Comics need to be more fun. Monkeys=fun!
2 - DC Universe: Decisions #1 (of 4), $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics Politics and Comics together are sometimes scary. This might have the right formula though.
1- Deadpool #1, $3.99, 48 Pages, Marvel Comics - The Marvel Universe just isn’t right unless there is a Deadpool ongoing of some kind.
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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June 25, 2008
On The Shelf This Week - 06.25.08
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
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AVENGERS FAIRY TALES #3 (OF 4), $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by C. B. Cebulski, Art by Takeshi Miyazawa and Craig Yeung, Cover by Claire Wedling
It really bears mentioning again - Claire Wendling does some awesome covers. Not quite a pin-up, very germane to the story, and simply gorgeous. I’d love to see her handle a Marvel Illustrated adaptation of some fantasy-genred story. It could be quite beautiful.
This issue puts Cassie Lang in the role of Alice as she journeys into Wonderland. That really says all you need to know. This is a fun series, and this has the makings of another good issue.
GREEN LANTERN #32, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Geoff Johns ; Art by Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert
When it was first announced that Green Lantern would be taking a step back to reexamine the origin of Hal Jordan, one couldn’t help but be skeptical. The Green Lantern titles have been the absolute best DC had to offer, thanks to an exciting, original story, and an origin retelling was far from original. Added to that, they never seem to turn out that well. Thus far, this one has bucked that trend.
Of course, back when Hal Jordan was first introduced as the Green Lantern, “origins” were short - extremely short - a character would suddenly find himself a full-blown superhero within a couple pages. These days the stories are a little more mature, and this retelling reflects that. Johns deserves some praise here - while fleshing out Hal’s origin, he has managed to remain true to several decades of Green Lantern history, and has planted some seeds about Blackest Night that are sure to factor into the upcoming event. This retelling no longer seems like a dodgy idea.
While slower-paced than what we have become used to from the Green Lantern books, it is still a great read, planting a lot of seeds about what is to come.
JSA CLASSIFIED #39, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Mike W. Barr; Art by Shawn Martinbrough; Cover by Doug Mahnke
OK, for real this time - final issue.
It would be redundant to lament this title’s passing once again - I mean, it was a great book that pretty well launched Infinite Crisis, and helped to add some depth to the Justice Society for a new generation of readers, but it seems like the market just doesn’t exist for titles like this one any longer. Sad really - it wasn’t the best title month in and month out, but it was consistently good, and far better than the terrible “blockbuster” books that survive on hype and marketability alone. Not sure if it is at all possible to reverse this trend - no reason not to keep trying though. So for the final time, goodbye to JSA Classified. You will be missed.
RUNAWAYS #30, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Joss Whedon, Art by Michael Ryan, Rick Ketcham, and Christina Strain
Another end of an era for the Runaways - and just about the start of a new one. Runaways seems to have bucked the trend of new Marvel “teams” that are popular for a short time, then fade away into memory. The departure of series creators Vaughan could have been the beginning of the end for this concept, but Marvel did the one thing that was sure to guarantee the survival of Runaways - putting someone with the name recognition of Joss Whedon on this book guaranteed it wouldn’t leave anytime soon. Now with Whedon’s short run at an end (really, the biggest problem this title has faced is the delays in recent months), and someone with the skill of Terry Moore taking over, you can bet this title’s strong run will continue.
Hopefully Moore will put an end to the slow shipping schedule this title has had - removing really the only drawback this title has these days.
SECRET INVASION RUNAWAYS YOUNG AVENGERS #1 (OF 3), $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Christopher Yost, Art by Takeshi Miyazawa, Craig Yeung, and Christina Strain
Often times, when major summer crossover events happen, almost every title becomes involved in some way, even if it seems that the main character’s involvement is only distantly related to whatever the ongoing story is. In this case, though, there is a much more direct reason for this mini - both teams just happen to have a Skrull on their rosters, so this mini makes a lot of sense.
The Civil War crossover between the two teams was decent, though it was a little bit of a let-down overall. The topical nature of this event should help overcome the weaknesses that the last crossover had. A definite must have if you are closely following Secret Invasion.
SUPERMAN #677, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by James Robinson; Art by Renato Guedes and José Wilson Magalháes; Cover by Alex Ross; Variant Cover by Renato Guedes
After a one issue fill-in story, the new ongoing writer James Robinson comes aboard for his first story arc. Robinson doesn’t have a lot of credits to his name, but what few he has are outstanding (Starman being the most notable). Robinson will also be writing the upcoming Justice League title, which looks to focus on the backlash of the Martian Manhunter’s murder. Robinson has been on hiatus for a couple months, but it looks like he is being thrust right back into the heart of the DCU.
He has some giant shoes to fill - but based on his resume, Superman shouldn’t suffer much of a quality dip under the new regime.
TEEN TITANS #60, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Sean McKeever; Art by Eddy Barrows and Ruy Jose; Cover by Barrows and Julio Ferreira
This issue is the final part of the Terror Titans arc. In many ways, it seems almost logical to say that this is the final part of McKeever’s first arc on the title, since it was only with this story that he really came into his own. A couple editorially-mandated stories did drag down McKeever’s initial start, but this arc has been running on all cylinders - from the team interactions, their individual personalities and struggles, the hint of humor and the antagonist himself - for too long, Teen Titans felt like the “mini Justice League” - McKeever has really restored a Titans tone to this title.
It is the last issue of an arc, one with will likely feature a lot of action, so it isn’t a bad choice for someone looking to jump aboard this book. Teen Titans has quite suddenly come into its own, and is looking like it is going to have a nice long, strong run.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #123, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Art by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Growbadger, and Justin Ponsor
A new Ultimate Spider-Man arc is always worth mentioning. Of note is the fact that this arc incorporates elements from the Ultimate Spider-Man video game (which makes some sense, as Bendis co-wrote the script for that game and it has been mostly considered cannon since it was released) - which might help resolve some of the continuity problems the game itself had. Knowing the story from the game, it is safe to assume that this will be an action-packed arc, and a safe one to try out for the first time. If you aren’t reading this book yet (I can’t understand why you wouldn’t be), you should give it a shot - especially if the 3 times a month shipping schedule is putting you off Amazing Spider-man. This really is the best Spider-Man book on the market today, and a good buy if you want a consistent monthly dose of the Wall Crawler.
SPOTLIGHT PICK OF THE WEEK
MADAME XANADU #1, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics/Vertigo
Written by Matt Wagner; Art and cover by Amy Reeder Hadley; Variant cover by Wagner
Last month, Vertigo gave us the start of House of Mystery - this month it is giving us another title with a lot of promise, Madame Xanadu. Vertigo has always been a good place for DC Magicians to spread their wings a little bit, without the confines of continuity. It worked well for John Constantine- perhaps Madame Xanadu will experience similar success.
Of course, helming this new title is Matt Wagner - of Grendel fame, most recently working on Trinity. He has the chops for an arcane tale like this one - it is a far-cry from the tone we are seeing on Trinity, but it is closer to his usual genre. Well worth a look - this could be another long-running Vertigo hit. Also an excellent buy for fans of the late Shadowpact series - while she wasn’t a member of the team, she did cross paths with that team in Day of Vengeance and Countdown.
DARK HORSE
STAR WARS DARK TIMES #12 VECTOR PART 6 $2.99 Now: $2.59
DC COMICS
FINAL CRISIS #2 (OF 7) $3.99 Now: $3.49
GREEN LANTERN #32 $2.99 Now: $2.79
JSA CLASSIFIED #39 $2.99 Now: $2.79
MADAME XANADU #1 $2.99 Now: $2.69
PROGRAMME #12 (OF 12) $2.99 Now: $2.59
SECRET HISTORY THE AUTHORITY HAWKSMOOR #4 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.59
SUPERMAN #677 $2.99 Now: $2.69
TEEN TITANS #60 $2.99 Now: $2.59
TRINITY #4 $2.99 Now: $2.79
DEVIL’S DUE
WORLDS OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS #2 $5.50 Now: $4.99
IMAGE COMICS
PILOT SEASON ALIBI #1 $3.99 Now: $3.49
MARVEL COMICS
ANGEL REVELATIONS #2 (OF 5) $3.99 Now: $3.49
AVENGERS FAIRY TALES #3 (OF 4) $2.99 Now: $2.59
BLACK PANTHER #37 $2.99 Now: $2.69
DAREDEVIL #108 $2.99 Now: $2.69
HOUSE OF M TP AVENGERS $13.99 Now: $10.99
HULK #4 $2.99 Now: $2.69
MARVEL ATLAS TP $14.99 Now: $11.99
NEW WARRIORS #13 $2.99 Now: $2.59
RUNAWAYS #30 $2.99 Now: $2.69
SECRET INVASION RUNAWAYS YOUNG AVENGERS #1 (OF 3) $2.99 Now: $2.69
SHE-HULK #30 $2.99 Now: $2.59
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #123 $2.99 Now: $2.69
ULTIMATES 3 #4 (OF 5) $2.99 Now: $2.69
UNCANNY X-MEN #499 $2.99 Now: $2.69
WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #4 $2.99 Now: $2.69
WOLVERINE ORIGINS #26 $2.99 Now: $2.59
X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #13 $2.99 Now: $2.69
X-MEN LEGACY #213 $2.99 Now: $2.69
YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS #6 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.79
NOTE: Opinions here may not reflect those of X-World Comics LLC or its staff and are solely the opinions of the writer.
Post your comments in the Forum!
June 11, 2008
On The Shelf This Week - 06.11.08
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
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ACTION COMICS #866, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Geoff Johns; Art and cover by Gary Frank and Jon Sibal
Gary Frank’s hiatus wasn’t exactly a long one, but for those who couldn’t bear an issue and a half without him, he is back! This issue starts a brand new five-part arc involving Brainiac. Johns has been doing a pretty solid job on this title (which should surprise no one), and the timing seems right for a good Brainiac story. This one doesn’t look as if it will be crossing over into Final Crisis anytime soon, which is fabulous news - though it is supposed to be leading up to a Superman Event this year. Based on recent events, this is cause for some concern - though as long as they handle this one the same way they did the Sinestro Corps War, it should be good.
ETERNALS #1, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Charles Knauf and Daniel Knauf, Art and Cover by Daniel Acuna
Marvel has been touting this series for some time, it seems like almost the moment the Gaiman Eternals mini came to an end a little over a year ago. Maybe not that long, but the Eternals have certainly had something of a presence. Marvel is definitely making a move to cement the Eternals back into the Marvel Universe - this series is an ongoing, and will pick up right where the Gaiman series left off, and should continue on in a similar fashion to that which we have thus far seen in various guest appearances - the Eternals attempting to awaken other Eternals (much like we saw in Incredible Hercules), and worrying about the Horde. The Knauf’s have developed a really good reputation at Marvel - this should be a good series to try out.
FEAR AGENT #21 HATCHET JOB (PT 5 OF 5), $2.99, 32 Pages, Dark Horse
Written by Rick Remender, Art by Jerome Opena and Michelle Madsen
Oiy - this title is still late! In this case, the culprit is clear - the art is the reason for the delays. Sometimes you hear the excuse “good art is worth waiting for,” but when you hear tales of artists who spend their time playing WoW or doing something else not “work-related” instead of finishing an issue, you have to wonder.
Fear Agent is great. It is still great, despite the delays. And to Rick Remender and Dark Horse’s credit, despite the art hiccups they have managed to keep this title somewhat regular. Sure, it doesn’t come out on time, but a couple weeks after the original solicit, this title usually comes out (this issue is a little later than usual), and therefore it comes out almost monthly. Remender has also been totally willing to change-up the art team in order to put the book out on time - especially risky considering many readers get upset when the artist changes, and when someone like Tony Moore is involved, the fan attachment goes double.
Overall, Fear Agent is fighting the chronic tardiness, visibly and openly, and that makes up for a lot. Telling the readers the truth about the cause of chronic delays is a great step in the right direction, and actually being upfront about the solutions you are trying goes even further. Now if they actually come through… that is the test. Even despite the delays, Fear Agent is very much a title worth reading. Still the best Sci-fi book on the stands today.
GOTHAM UNDERGROUND #9 (OF 9), $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Frank Tieri; Art by J. Calafiore and Jack Purcell; Cover by Calafiore
This series was the very definition of a sleeper - a fantastic read, but it got very little attention. A shame too - there are so few great stories any longer that don’t directly tie into some major event, this one deserved to have a much bigger profile than it did. Gotham City has such a rich tapestry of characters, it is great when you read a story that can really bring all of those threads together. If you were one of the many who missed out on this one, it is going to make a fantastic trade purchase.
HULK RAGING THUNDER, $3.99, 48 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Jeff Parker, Art by Mitch Breitweiser and William Baumann
This one seems less a Hulk issue than a Thundra one-shot, though with The Incredible Hulk so close to being released in theaters, it makes sense that even if he appears only briefly in this issue that it would bear his name in the title, if only for merchandising. This issue looks like it is going to follow the usual “Giant-Size” format, with an original story (Hulk vs. Thundra, it would seem), along with a reprint of an old Thundra story (not sure which one, but one would presume it will be one of the early Thing stories). This will be a fun, action-packed issue, and while it might not be the best warm-up for the Hulk movie, it should still be a solid read.
MAGDALENA DAREDEVIL (ONE SHOT), $3.99, Image Comics
By Phil Hester and Andy Parks
A little late (wasn’t this one due in February?), but that is kind of par for the course with Image Comics. You really have to say that when it comes to these Top Cow/Marvel Crossovers, they have been doing a fantastic job of late. Everyone knows to expect the usual bland, status quo crossover when two characters from different publishers get together, but when Marvel and Top Cow cross-promote, at least lately, anything can happen (remember the Wolverine/Witchblade crossover?). And they usually do a good job pairing the characters as well - The Magdalena and Daredevil are a good fit, matching power-level and faith, it is easy to see how they could find common cause. As crossovers go, this is probably a good bet.
SALVATION RUN #7 (OF 7), $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Matthew Sturges; Variant Cover by Neal Adams; Art and Cover by Sean Chen and Walden Wong
Missed potential pretty well sums up the general feeling about this series. It wasn’t terrible, though there always seemed to be a little something missing here. Though - with one issue left, maybe something will change with #7. There did seem to be an overall story hiccup with the transition to Final Crisis for a lot of books, perhaps this is just an example of that. In this final issue, you can bet that the events will have been reoriented towards Final Crisis a bit better, and those strange, dull plot threads may have a little more meaning.
SPOTLIGHT PICK OF THE WEEK
SKY-DOLL #2, $5.99, 64 Pages, Marvel Comics
By Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa
Sky-Doll is, of course, the first of Marvel’s imports of the French Soliel Comics line. The first issue came out last month, and from that it is easy to see why the series achieved international acclaim. The series is racy - it is adult-oriented, and involves sentient “dolls” who serve as personal slaves. Despite the risqué themes, in many ways the comic seems like it would be at home under a Disney imprint. The art is fantastic and alive, and the characters seem like something right out of any classic Disney feature. Granted, the content is too adult-oriented, but in every way it is an excellent example of the blend between art and story.
The price might seem steep - but to keep in mind that this is a 64 Page full color book - so while it is twice the price of a regular comic, it is also twice the size. Just like 2 issues in one. I highly recommend this series.
DARK HORSE
FEAR AGENT #21 HATCHET JOB (PT 5 OF 5) $2.99 Now: $2.59
DC COMICS
ACTION COMICS #866 $2.99 Now: $2.69
CHUCK #1 (OF 6) $2.99 Now: $2.79
GOTHAM UNDERGROUND #9 (OF 9) $2.99 Now: $2.59
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES IN THE 31ST CENTURY #15 $2.25 Now: $1.99
SALVATION RUN #7 (OF 7) $2.99 Now: $2.69
SIMON DARK #9 $2.99 Now: $2.69
WONDER WOMAN #21 $2.99 Now: $2.69
IMAGE COMICS
CHARLATAN BALL #1 $2.99 Now: $2.69
MAGDALENA DAREDEVIL (ONE SHOT) $3.99 Now: $3.59
PILOT SEASON LADY PENDRAGON #1 $3.99 Now: $2.59
MARVEL COMICS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #562 $2.99 Now: $2.69
CIVIL WAR CHRONICLES #12 $4.99 Now: $4.49
DARK TOWER LONG ROAD HOME #2 (OF 5) 2ND PTG VAR $3.99 Now: $3.49
ETERNALS #1 $2.99 Now: $2.69
HULK RAGING THUNDER $3.99 Now: $3.49
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 2ND PTG LARROCA VAR $2.99 Now: $2.79
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 2ND PTG MEINERDING VAR $2.99 Now: $2.79
MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK #12 $2.99 Now: $2.59
SECRET INVASION #1 3RD PTG YU VAR $3.99 Now: $3.49
SKY-DOLL #2 $5.99 Now: $4.99
SPIDER-MAN MAGAZINE #1 $6.99 Now: $5.99
SPIDER-MAN WITH GREAT POWER #4 (OF 5) $3.99 Now: $3.49
MARVEL MOVIE CROSSOVERS
Much hay was made of the post-credit Iron Man appearance of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, as well as a brief Shield sighting. Well, it seems that they aren’t done teasing an Avengers movie. In the Incredible Hulk, Robert Downey Jr. appears as Tony Stark for a decent-sized cameo (this clip is even being used to promote the film - no doubt as a result of Iron Man’s box office success), and there is even a rumor that Captain America will make an appearance of some sort, as well as the movie itself setting up the super-soldier serum plot for a Captain America movie.
Are we reading too much into all this? Maybe, but why ruin the fun?
NOTE: Opinions here may not reflect those of X-World Comics LLC or its staff and are solely the opinions of the writer.
Post your comments in the Forum!
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