OK, This Week's Comics:

Picked up four comics this week: two are first issues, one is the middle of an ongoing storyline, and another a side-story in a lengthy serial. Two were hugely disappointing, but which ones? Let's see:

First up, Extraordinary X-Men #1, written by Jeff Lemire, pencils by Humberto Ramos, inks by Victor Olazaba. This features the X-Men, and mutantkind's, new status quo after Secret Wars, after the Inhumans' Terrigen Mists have poisoned earth for mutants...and, it's implied, Cyclops may have done as much himself. And...this issue did just about nothing for me, sorry. Partly, I freely admit, because I'm a Nightcrawler fan more than an X-Men fan, and don't really give a crap about past Jean Grey or future Logan. Or Magik, or Storm, or Iceman, or Colossus...That, and the set-up seems both defeatist and artificial. "No more mutants," again. Dropped, unless an all-Nightcrawler issue comes down the line.

Next, another new #1, another new Deadpool #1. (Written by Gerry Duggan, pencils by Mike Hawthorne, inks by Terry Pallot.) Post-Secret Wars...actually, just typing that, I don't think we're ever gonna really be post-Secret Wars, but moving on: Deadpool is the most popular super-hero on earth. He's so popular, he's been forced to take the Krusty the Clown route of licensing out impersonators, from simple performers for kids' parties, to substitute heroes. (Among the subs I recognized, Solo, Terror, Madcap, Slapstick, Foolkiller, and Stingray; there may even be other faux Pools...) Although acting a clown and funding the Avengers (!) Deadpool's making some enemies, neglecting his possibly estranged wife, and planning to get his revenge on the murderer of his parents...which was actually him while mind-controlled, but who's going to tell him that?

This one's...enh. I didn't read the whole last series of Deadpool, but I thought Duggan usually had slapstick issues, with maybe one or two serious bits, intermingled with almost grimdark issues, with a bit of Deadpool snark. Here it seems like both are going the same time (there's a lot of jokey nonsense for jokey nonsense's sake) and it doesn't sit right for me. And whatever Pool did to gain his unparalleled popularity is unclear: a news report mentions him taking down the terrorist organization ULTIMATUM, but it can't just be that. I'm hoping he punched out Cyclops. I wasn't planning on picking up the next issue right away, but after flipping through it again I may keep my ears open.

The third issue of Atomic Robo and the Ring of Fire is more like...shoot, maybe the twenty-some or so issue in the series? And it is more a part of the series than just the third of a miniseries; since it builds off of Robo getting trapped in the past in the Savage Sword of Dr. Dinosaur and mostly destroyed there in Knights of the Golden Circle. The giant biomega monsters attacking earth are also from a previous issue, I think. Or Pacific Rim. (Not really!) It's a good issue, but it's setting up the next chapter, as Robo rebuilds a new body and a plan to save the world and defeat the shadowy Task Force Ultra, which hijacked Robo's company seemingly years ago. (Written by Brian Clevinger, art by Scott Wegener.)

Lastly, we've got Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #46, "Animals." Written by James Roberts, pencils by Alex Milne, inks by Milne, Brian Shearer, John Livesay, and John Wycough. This is the second of two issues catching up with the former Decepticons known as the Scavengers; who run into the new sheriff in town, Fortress Maximus. Those are not household names by any means, we're pretty deep down the roster here. But Roberts does so much great character work that even if you don't know a Spinister from a hole in the ground, by the end of the issue you know these guys. Thickly layered and charming, this is probably my favorite ongoing book right now.

Both the Marvel books were five bucks, IDW's Atomic Robo and MTMTE were four. The Marvel books also feature a "bonus digital edition," but a bonus copy of a crappy book is nothing...
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OK, This Week's Comics:

A light week, with a mere four books, and all four in various points of larger storylines. First up, probably the best selling of the lot, Trees #5, from writer Warren Ellis and artist Jason Howard. The various threads of the book haven't yet come together, if they will at all, but they all serve the larger story of a world that has been invaded...by invaders who don't seem to care. It's a slow boil, that's going to explode later.

Over in B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth #123 the apocalypse has been going for seemingly eighty issues or more. This issue visits Japan, and takes a traditional Toho monster approach to the end. A crazy scientist has seemingly pulled a giant monster out of nowhere, and it throws down with the creatures that the B.P.R.D.'s fared so poorly against. These last two issues were billed as jumping-on points, and while they're not bad, between this book and Abe Sapien, it feels like the apocalypse has gone so long it's losing a little steam. ("The Broken Equation, part 2 of 2" Written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi, art by Joe Querio.)

Similarly, Satellite Sam #10 is billed as the conclusion of the second story arc, but the titular mystery of "Who Killed Satellite Sam?" is seemingly no closer to being answered! Yet, like Trees, it's playing a longer game and building up to an explosion. A five-part finale is set for 2015, so it's nice to know the end is at least in sight; and the book continues to be cheeky and smutty in individual installments. ("Keyhole and Welt; Shadow, Seam, Heel" Written by Matt Fraction, art by Howard Chaykin.)

Lastly, Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #33 moves forward some recent plot points--the disappearance of most of the Lost Light's crew, the mystery of Rodimus Prime's corpse, and a measure of Megatron's altruism--as well as the reveal of a traitor who's been there since the beginning, and an appearance from a dead favorite. I don't know if I've enjoyed the issues as singles lately--too many questions up in the air!--but as part of a larger read it's a remarkable tapestry. ("Slaughterhouse, part 2: The Road Not Taken" Written by James Roberts, pencils by Alex Milne, inks by Brian Shearer and John Wycough.)

Now, maybe I can figure out where the previous issues of all these books are...

EDIT: I actually went back on the "OK this week's comics" tag, and saw the last time I reviewed most of these same titles...and said pretty close to the same things! Enjoyable, but installments of a larger whole. Seems to be a running theme.
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OK, this week's comics:

I need to sit down and read the whole set, but while the last issue or two picked up, I kind of wonder if maybe this shouldn't have been a four-issue series instead of six. Still, the conclusion of Mad Rupert's Regular Show: Skips is a lot of fun: Skips gets out of his Groundhog Day predicament, but now has to face the menace of the monstrous Destruction Lord. Which is slightly less destructive than Mordecai and Rigby, even on it's best day.

In most crime comics or even movies, the mob planning to hit ten vaults in one night would be a dramatic conclusion; in Lobster Johnson: Get the Lobster #3 it's the midway point, and not the main focus! The cops are intensifying their manhunt for the vigilante Lobster Johnson, his friendly reporter Cindy is starting to get fed up with burying stories, other foes haven't forgotten about him; and Lobster isn't going to take a break or lay low. But he may be pressing his luck too far this time. This may be the best of the Mignola-verse books right now, and B.P.R.D. hasn't been bad lately either. (Story by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi, art by Tonci Zonjic, colors by Dave Stewart.)

After the four issue Winged Victory story, Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson are back to stand-alones with Astro City #11, "The Sorcerer's Assistant." The young magician Silver Adept may be "the savior of more living souls than you can possibly imagine," but it's her assistant that has to answer the emails, schedule her appointments, reschedule her appointments, and occasionally save the day herself. Fun, well worth reading.

Lastly, Chris Claremont and Todd Nauck's Nightcrawler #1 is a good start to the series: back from the dead, Kurt's adjusting to the changes he missed--Wolverine has a school, lost his healing factor, and seems to be losing his grip; amongst others. After visiting his adopted sister/occasional girlfriend Amanda, they are attacked by an armored creep calling himself Trimega. The Bamfs are still following Kurt around too, which seems like it doesn't match up with the end of Amazing X-Men, but it's still neat: not reinventing the wheel, but I quite liked it.

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OK, this (last) week's comics:

I haven't done one of these in a bit, but here's the stuff I bought last week.

First up, Amazing X-Men #5, "The Quest for Nightcrawler, conclusion" Written by Jason Aaron, pencils by Ed McGuinness, inks by Dexter Vines. A number of plot threads Aaron had brewing for some time come together, as the Red Bamfs and the Blue Bamfs battle at the Jean Grey School, Nightcrawler's regathered the X-Men to fight the demon hordes of his dad Azazel and save heaven. The late Professor X tries to get Kurt not to go through with his plan to stop Azazel, but Kurt feels it's his responsibility, and pays the price for it. It's a pretty, pretty issue; but feels a bit rushed, and slightly grimmer than the art would indicate. Also, I know Wolverine doesn't have his healing factor currently, but I thought he did at the start of this one!

Somewhat conversely, we're up to the seventh issue of Satellite Sam, and the question the book started with--who killed Carlyle White, the actor who played Satellite Sam?--is seemingly no closer to being answered. It's still a fun, smutty ride, though I wonder: does it need closure on the murder, or will that wrap up the book? This issue will probably read better collected, a common trend for today's books. (Written by Matt Fraction, art by Howard Chaykin.)


The end of the world continues in both B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth #117 and Abe Sapien #11. (B.P.R.D. written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi, art by James Harren, inks by Dave Stewart; Abe written by Mike Mignola and Scott Allie, art by Max Fiumara, and colors by Dave Stewart.) This issue of B.P.R.D. is the third of a five-parter, but still feels like there's some forward progress; as Liz Sherman and her team, along with the freaky Iosif of the Russian Special Sciences Service, fight through the monster-infested New York City to get to the mysterious Zinco Corporation and the Black Flame. Meanwhile, in Abe's book, a former Satanist makes some progress in Seattle, while Abe seemingly fails to save the small town of Payson, Arizona. Abe's book seems to be spinning it's wheels a bit, but still works as part of a larger tapestry.

The twelve-part crossover concludes in Transformers: Dark Cybertron finale, written by John Barber and James Roberts, with layouts by Phil Jimenez, pencils by Brendan Cahill, inks by Brian Shearer. The wrap-up is to come and will set up a new status quo for the two Transformers books, but not one but two former villains may have found a measure of redemption here. It remains to be seen how much it sticks, and if the death from the previous issue (which I still need to find!) does either.

Brandon Graham does most of the art for this week's Empowered: Internal Medicine one-shot, written by Adam Warren. Empowered and Ninjette race to help an alien living spaceship deliver it's baby, at a somewhat-deranged superhero hospital. It's cheesecakey fun! Except there may be more than a bit of foreshadowing for later issues.

Dark Horse Presents #34 was purchased mainly for the conclusion of Nexus: Into the Past. It's not Baron and Rude's best on the book, but seems to draw a line under thirty-three years of stories. (On and off!) I may have been better off waiting for it to be collected, because aside from the recent short Hellboy serial, there hasn't been much else in the anthology that's grabbed me, and it's $7.99 a pop. Still, it only has two issues left, so we'll probably ride it out.

Another book I may not keep for much longer: Regular Show, since this issue finds the gang at the park fighting the 90's for the second straight issue, and it's been moving a little slowly. For four bucks an issue, it wasn't enough.

Speaking of four bucks, I did splurge for Silver Surfer #1, written by Dan Slott, art by Michael and Laura Allred. Marvel's pricing seems a bit steep, but it is a good start to the series, as the Surfer is recruited to save the massive alien city the Impericon, and a young girl is placed in jeopardy to motivate him. Only, the Surfer has no idea why. Doctor Who may be an influence this time around, but both the story and the art place the book far and away from the usual gloomy, soliliquy-spouting Surfer. I may be in for at least another issue at this rate.

All this, and I missed Warren Ellis's Moon Knight! I'll have to hold out for a second printing.


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OK, this week's comics:

A good batch of comics this week, and my store was shorted Ballistic #3! Well, still a nice pile.

There is a far more objective review of Amazing X-Men #1 at CBR, but the reviewer points out that storywise, the issue coasts a bit on "Woo! Nightcrawler's back!" and the general swellness of Ed McGuinness's art. But those two points carry it quite a ways for me, too. I think this is supposed to be a five-issue storyline, so Aaron's got time for more plot later. You all know I'm on the hook for this one: the Comic Book Shop even got me to buy a spare with the variant cover, too!

Baltimore: the Infernal Train #3 is the conclusion of this limited series, but sets up the next one nicely. (This is three of three, but really #18 in the series.) The titular train is powered by vampires, burning them instead of coal, as a series of sacrifices to awaken a dark god; but even that is only a roadblock to Baltimore in his quest for vengeance against the vampire Haigus. So is the insane inquisitor Duvic, who is determined to destroy anything he feels is contaminated by evil--Duvic would be better served going after the vampires than Baltimore, for a number of reasons, not the least of which being Baltimore is bad ass. Killing vampires seems like an easier target. A well-executed book: even though I've read the novel, I'm still enjoying the journey here.

I've also been quite enjoying Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye--just in time for it to start a massive twelve-part crossover with Transformers: Dark Cybertron #1. D'oh! Being a relative newcomer, there are some points I'm probably not completely up on--the name "Jhiaxus" sounds familiar and I feel like it should mean something, but I don't know the character. And in an already somewhat sprawling cast, I was surprised to see Rattrap and Waspinator, two characters from the Beast Wars cartoon. (Putting that in superhero terms, it would be like Legion of Super-Heroes members just wandering into the scene of All-Star Western: they might exist in the same universe, but not the same time, usually.) Still, the book does feature Autobots being heroic and snarky, in the right measure, so we'll see if I go all in.

Since I don't have cable right now, and there's only a few episodes on Netflix, the comics are my primary source for Regular Show, and issue #5 and the first issue of the Skips miniseries were out Wednesday. There's a Blake Babies song, "Nothing Ever Happens" that I think Mordecai and Rigby would probably agree with: they probably feel like nothing ever happens, even when facing a mad hair-cutting robot, infestations of freegans, or a visit to a geyser-covered national park. The latter is from Skips' series, which looks like it is going to go with a Groundhog's Day story, and looks like it's going to be fun.

We're three issues into the George Lucas-rough draft version of the Star Wars, and while it's interesting in a "what could've been" sense and the art is nice, the characters still don't really feel fleshed out, even for Star Wars characters. I think if I sat down with the previous issues and read them together, it would hold together a little better. Itty Bitty Hellboy #3 is also from Dark Horse, and likewise not a bad book, if I kind of feel like I'm buying it out of Hellboy completionism. (And I don't have a complete Hellboy collection...not quite.)

And with that, I'm out for the weekend! Already got my tickets for Thor: The Dark World, too!

Scans from Amazing X-Men #1, Tradd Thomas Moore Deadpool variant cover, written by Jason Aaron, pencils by Ed McGuinness, inks by Dexter Vines.

Baltimore: the Infernal Train #3, written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, art by Ben Stenbeck, colors by Dave Stewart.

Transformers: Dark Cybertron #1, written by John Barber and James Roberts, layouts by Phil Jimenez, finishes by Andrew Griffith, with prologue art by Brendan Cahill.

Regular Show #5 written by K.C. Green, art by Allison Strejlau; with "Freegans" written by Brandon T. Snider and art by Wook Jin Clark. Regular Show: Skips #1 story and art by Mad Rupert.

The Star Wars #3 based on a rough draft by George Lucas, script by J.W. Rinzler, art by Mike Mayhew.

Itty Bitty Hellboy #3 story and art by Art Baltazar and Franco.
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OK, This Week's Comics:

Just a couple quick bits this time around: the Youngest came with me to the Comic Book Shop and got the new issue of Adventure Time then talked me into getting him an issue of Bravest Warriors. He was pretty enthusiastic about it, probably moreso than I was about my batch of books.

I did like B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth #105. (Some of these books aren't in the GCD yet!) It's a book that plays the long game: plot threads can lie seemingly forgotten for some time, but they rarely are. This month: The comatose Abe Sapien wakes up and wanders off! Someone covers for him! The grotesque Director Iosif of the Russian Occult Bureau airlifts into a monster-infested warzone, but isn't there for the evacuation...B.P.R.D. is rarely a bad read, but is often more satisfying with a few issues at once than one at a time. But I would miss the cliffhangers if I trade-waited!

I haven't written up the last couple of Dark Horse Presents for 80-Page Thursdays--partially because I didn't want several in a row, but also the last couple were a little meh for me. This issue does have a Shannon (Too Much Coffee Man) Wheeler story, an odd alternate history of Custer from Howard Chaykin, and a kinda interesting interview with Geof Darrow...that isn't as interesting as new work from Darrow. And Mike Richardson asks him about "his dream car" and a ride with Frank Miller and Darrow doesn't elaborate! Patrick Alexander's "Villainman" is funny; but I wouldn't have scheduled it and Wheeler's "Villain House" the same month...No Finder either this month. I was considering dropping DHP, so of course next month has Nexus and I'm back on board.

Lastly, we have X-Termination #1: to get home to the Age of Apocalypse, the AoA Nightcrawler forces the Dark Beast to try and get them back. Wolverine, pissed over Nightcrawler's betrayal of X-Force, is on his tail (so to speak) with a team of X-Men. There are a few things wrong here already...even if the AoA Nightcrawler doesn't think of the 616 Marvel Universe as anything but a shadow, the Age of Apocalypse would be a dismal suckhole to live in. Yet he's willing to work with Dark Beast--who, if he isn't basically Hitler to him, is at least Mengele--to get back there. He's in the Marvel Universe: if anyone in the story stopped being a jerk for five minutes, there's other ways to get from one universe to another, right? And Wolverine is hunting down Nightcrawler because he might be dangerous...hey, Wolvie? You know who else is dangerous? Sabretooth, the guy that killed about a gazillion other people you knew? Maybe you could hunt him down instead? No? So, Wolvie is either after Nightcrawler because of narrative convenience, or because his feelings are hurt like a big baby...

There's a ponderous opening (that reminded me of Crisis on Infinite Earths) to set up the extra-dimensional big bads, who I don't think have ever been seen before. When Dark Beast and Nightcrawler teleport into the Dreaming Celestial, they "see" a control room, "the mind making sense of the cosmic energies." Because that's way more entertaining to see than crazy Kirby-style stuff...that bit reminded me of Contact, or South Park making fun of Contact. I liked the McGuinness cover, but there's no scene like that inside, and the cover stock is crappy...

I'm being a little harsh on this book, because of those holes; but also because it already seems obvious this crossover is (at least partially) about AoA Nightcrawler having to pay for his deeds, and probably killed off or written out. He came to the 616 to get revenge, got it, and was not all that sorry about it in Uncanny X-Force. But we can't have that: it'd be just fine for Wolverine to gut someone for payback (although he so rarely kills off anyone important) but not anyone else. I'm not a fan of Gambit, but he does call Wolvie on his double standard regarding side projects; but that's another problem with this series: I really don't much care about a lot of the characters thrown in this crossover pot. I'm only buying this stupid comic because it's got a version of my favorite character, a copy.

A lot of Marvel and DC comics feel that way for me lately, honestly.
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OK, this week's comics. And junk.

This has been a not-especially-wonderful week or so, but I did pick up a few things recently. First up, from the Batman: Power Attack line, Mutant Assault Batman and Dual Destruction Two-Face. Not bad, reasonably priced, great packaging art, slightly goofy. The Two-Face is for me like the above Robin, a bit of a place-holder: he's got the job until someone better comes along. And Battlegrip pretty much sold me on the red Batman with slightly oversized Man-Bat parts, but I love the name "Mutant Assault." Which reminds me...

This week also had a small but OK crop of comics: the aforementioned Uncanny X-Force #29. I think that storyline's got another two, three issues at least, too. There was also Daredevil Annual #1, featuring the ClanDestine, Dr. Strange, and Alan Davis. A quick glance found a couple reviews saying the annual didn't measure up to Mark Waid's current run, but I don't think anyone could say an unkind word about that art. And I've read the ClanDestine before, so I didn't mind seeing them again, either.

Butcher Baker #8 finally came out as well, more than a bit late, but I was more surprised that it was apparently the end of the series. Maybe it was always intended to be (I hate when a series claims to be a limited midway through) but it felt a little sudden. Then, writer Joe Casey and artist Mike Huddleston may have hurt each other's feelings a bit--Casey may have blamed Huddleston a bit for the delay, but Huddleston said he wasn't making enough money and had to do some paying work first. Butcher Baker definitely wasn't a series for everyone, but I was enjoying it and will be sorry to not get more. Oddly, in the backmatter, Casey quotes a line from Blade Runner: "The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long." I misremembered, but I thought this was the response...

...and wondered if Butcher Baker might not feel the same way.

Also picked up a small pile of DVD's...apparently, I won't spend more than three bucks on a DVD lately. I enjoyed the animated All-Star Superman (three bucks at Wal-Mart, if you're lucky) even though I'm not a huge Supes fan. I haven't had a moment to watch DC Superheroes: The Filmation Adventures yet; I think those cartoons are older than even me. The Fantastic Four animated series was from a few years ago, and I remember it as being OK, maybe not amazing. We'll see later. I did watch a Star Trek DVD the other day ("A Taste of Armageddon" and "Space Seed") but if I keep buying the original series on random DVD's, it's going to take me a billion years. But I did find a movie I had just been telling my brother-in-law was "not super-original, or great; but totally watchable." Doomsday:


And then a couple more: Hellboy Junior might not be canon (save for a few panels of HB wondering "What the #### was that?") but it was one of the few Hellboy books I hadn't read. Not for the easily offended, but that just means it's fun. And I picked up that Batman digest for three bucks, but was mildly disappointed since I've read "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge" and "The Cry of the Night is Kill!" before.

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OK, this week's month's comics:

Although I bought some cheap trades and some ninety-nine cent Deadpool Corps and MAX issues; I hadn't picked up the bulk of my comics for the better part of a month. Which you probably guessed by the title. And it was a little gloomy, since there were two second-to-last issues and the end of a mini-series. We aren't going to do a lot of scans this time around, since I'm doing this on the fly, but let's take a quick look.

First, Static #7 was a bit more together than the previous issues, but still felt like too little and too late. On the other hand, O.M.A.C. #7 felt like there was a lot of gas left in the tank; as DiDio and Giffen channel a ton of Kirby and have Superman guest-star for a whopping four pages before going into a straight-up Kamandi tribute. And My Greatest Adventure #6 wraps the series with Robotman, Garbage Man, and Tenga not getting anything they want. Seriously, at all.

Demon Knights is the only DC book I've been reading that'll be around in a couple of months, but as the first storyline wraps I'm not sure if I want to stick with it or not. It's not bad, but the siege seemed to run a little long, and the outcome was a bit of a given. (A seeming traitor wasn't maybe, a character aged to near death is back, and they totally had to destroy that village to save it.)

On the other hand, the end of the Lobster Johnson story in Dark Horse Presents #9 is likewise a given, but it's executed better in less pages. I might have to write up this issue for a much-later 80-Page Thursday; but suffice to say I'm enjoying DHP a lot...but not as much as I theoretically could. Future issues are going to have Nexus, Ghost, and Evan Dorkin; and I selfishly want them all in the same issue. Every month.

There was also Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #3, which was terrifying and awesome. Tying into an old B.P.R.D. villain; this issue a mobster's new hires burn down a few buildings and fight the Lobster, but they are more than the mobster realizes. Much more. The mobster should have a lot more fear at this point than he does. Artist Tonci Zonjic is killing it, too.

Lastly, the conclusion of Atomic Robo & the Ghost of Station X wraps that series up nicely, although I think I missed an issue. Gotta get back on that. And I picked up the reprint of Adventure Time #1 for the Youngest, but haven't read it yet. Man, that's a bit light for a month; and I'm sure I missed or forgot to mention some stuff, but we'll get to that as it turns up.
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OK, this week's comics:

I have no intention of doing this every week, especially since I don't necessarily get new books or go to the comic shop every week; and there's only so many times I can tell you to buy Hellboy or whatnot. Anyway, so there's a new Hellboy hardback this week, and you should buy it.

I was almost going to leave it at that, since as a hardback, it's not going to fit in my scanner. But Hellboy: House of the Living Dead continues the tale that began in Hellboy in Mexico or, a Drunken Blur: after befriending three luchadores (who were told by a vision of the Virgin Mary to kill vampires) Hellboy is crushed when one is turned into a monster and he's forced to kill him. He spends some time as a luchadore himself, drinking to forget; until a strange man comes with an offer for a match...

Mignola mentions House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula as inspirations for his one, and while it shows, I think it's a little telling that while those movies were the last gasps of that run of monsters, it's not an unusual day for Hellboy. He's moved past that. There's also a brief appearance by one of the series' main villains, who makes an ominous proclamation tying into future books. Oh, and Richard Corben is 71, and just killing it on the art. While I only have a vague awareness of his own work like Den or Mutant World, I've enjoyed his recent Hellboy stories, and with Garth Ennis he did one of my favorite Punisher stories--in fact, that is one of my favorite single-issues, ever.

I picked up Wolverine and the X-Men #1 from last week, and it wasn't bad. Mainly, I wanted to see what was up with the little Nightcrawler-Bamf-gremlin things pictured on the regular version's cover. But, I have to say I like the idea of Wolvie and Kitty (and Marvel, for that matter) trying to do something different with their new school for mutants. Even if they're in way over their heads. There were a few beats that didn't quite work--I don't think Rachel would ever out a student as a bedwetter, even in psychic self-defense class--and some of the students don't really grab me; but still a good start.

I also tried something a little different with OMAC and Static Shock, reading the first three issues of both. I'm still enjoying OMAC, even if OMAC's alter-ego Kevin really hasn't gotten to do much yet--I don't think he's been on-panel with his girlfriend yet in the series. Meanwhile, Static's horrible big sister Sharon is twice as bad: she's been duplicated somehow, with both of them in the same house claiming the other is an evil clone. Fine, but when the hell did that happen? On-panel? In Teen Titans or Milestone Forever? Again, it's a perfectly fine plot point, but it just strikes me as completely messed up if Milestone Forever is in-continuity and Crisis on Infinite Earths isn't.

The villains seemed a little soft this month in both books as well. I hated the Checkmate Elite--DiDio and Giffen seemed to be trying for a Kirby spin on a paramilitary team but hit the wrong excesses, like terrible names. And when Static passes himself as a gang member from Dakota (the city, not the states, as someone has to be corrected) and the Big Bang comes up; it just reminded me the Blood Syndicate was so much more bad-ass than Virule or the Pale Man, a.k.a. that guy that looks like the Joker but doesn't like you mentioning it. Still, these are just minor nitpicks so far; and I'm enjoying both books.
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OK, this week's comics:

Anyone notice I only do these on slow weeks? I think I had a month's worth of books last Wednesday, and wasn't about to even try this.

I missed Legion of Monsters #1 last week, and that looks like it'll be a fun limited, tying in characters from Nextwave and recently, Franken-Castle. Elsa Bloodstone chases down a monster to the "Monster Metropolis" under New York, where the Legion of Monsters--Morbius, Manphibian, Werewolf by Night, and the Living Mummy--are trying to keep the peace as "monster police." (As Elsa snippily puts it.) But something may be turning the monsters into...MONSTERS. Fun characters, fighting, neat art. It's not Sandman or anything, but that's ok.

In the same vein, Secret Avengers #18: with Shang-Chi and Sharon Carter, Steve Rogers fights the Shadow Council in a bad continuum, to keep the evil organization from bringing back fissionable material. Warren Ellis brings just enough plot to hang kicking on, and we see how Shang-Chi brings more than thuggery to the table, how uncomfortable Steve is in Nick Fury's spy wheelhouse, and why he loves Sharon. Another fun issue, and I'd recommend getting them as such: these are still singles and don't feel like they're written by the trade at all.

Abe Sapien: the Devil Does Not Jest #2 would've been worth it for me, for just this panel alone:

Hellboy and Professor Bruttenholm get a lot of page time this issue, as they realize Abe is in a lot of trouble in Maine. Hellboy remains unconcerned, since he trained Abe to be prepared. And he is! Whether by accident or design, Mignola and Arcudi do a great job of keeping characters in play: neither Abe nor Hellboy are currently active in the main books, but still show up a ton. Heck, Bruttenholm was killed off in the first issue of the first Hellboy series, Seed of Destruction, yet he still shows up in mini-series, sometimes as the lead! You've heard me say it before, but the Hellboy/B.P.R.D. books are great, buy them.




There's a lot of nudity in Butcher Baker, the Righteous Maker #7. Not just female nudity, either...or even male; there's whatever the Absolutely is. Captured and tortured by Jihad Jones, his engine heart disabled, Butcher's only hope is lawman Arnie B. Willard. Who wants Butcher for himself...that doesn't even come close to covering how weird this book is. Man, it's the eighth issue of this already? I don't know if I see this one going 100 issues or anything, so enjoy it now.

How many of you bought DC comics to get a power ring? How many of you remember any of the books you bought for the rings? Legion Secret Origin #1 came with a Legion Flight Ring, which admittedly was a big selling point. While I've enjoyed the Legion before, I'm like three or four reboots down at this point. This comic isn't bad, but I don't know if it's the Legion origin that a new reader would need: there still seems to be a lot of info there that isn't completely spelled out, like the importance of R.J. Brande. Actually, I say that, but I'm quite all right with the scene with Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, and Cosmic Boy saving Brande being shortened, since I've seen it about a dozen times; and would much rather watch Phantom Girl and Brainiac 5 work their case. Still, Flight Ring! Oddly, I don't know if the rings were heavily promoted this time--were there ads in the Legion books, or anywhere else? We'll see about the rest of the series...

Legion of Monsters #1, "Hell Street Blues" Written by Dennis Hopeless, art by Juan Doe.

Secret Avengers #18, "No Zone" Written by Warren Ellis, art by David Aja with Raul Allen.

Abe Sapien: the Devil Does Not Jest #2, written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi, art by James Harren.

Butcher Baker, the Righteous Maker #7, written by Joe Casey, art and colors by Mike Huddleston.

Legion Secret Origin #1, "From the Wreckage" Written by Paul Levitz, art by Chris Batista and Marc Deering.
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OK, this week's comics:

While I love Mike Mignola's books like Hellboy and B.P.R.D. (I don't think they use 'Mignolaverse' yet...) sometimes they read better collected, or all at once; than they do issue by issue. Even if an issue ends with something dramatic, when you know it's part three of five...that said, I really enjoyed Baltimore: the Curse Bells #2 by itself. While the hero is sticking to his quest for vengeance, he knows there's going to be "side quests," because there's so much horribleness going on that he can't let slide. Baltimore is also being followed by a writer, who's in over his head; and an inquisitor, who seems more concerned about Baltimore being "tainted" by evil than by evil itself. (The inquisitor is chasing the vampire hunter, not the vampires, which seems willfully stupid...but believably so, like he needs someone to blame more than he needs to deal with the problem.)


From the DC relaunch, we have the first issues of Demon Knights and Grifter. Grifter? Wasn't I mocking him earlier? Well, the Comic Book Shop has Jason Gorder in for a signing, so I gave it a try! And...there may be potential, there. This first issue is mostly set up, as we see Grifter do a little grifting (which I don't know if we ever saw him do in the Wildstorm books, anyone?) before being abducted and experimented on by the invisible Daemonites. The experiment is apparently interrupted, and he escapes, but now Grifter can mentally hear the hidden monsters in our midst, which leads to a brutal fight on a plane, and a daring escape that I'm virtually positive wouldn't work, at all.

CBR's Hannibal Tabu sometimes uses the faintly damning expression "TV good" to describe a book that "would have been fine to flip through late at night on some of the high channels of your dial, but to spend specific money on it? That doesn't seem right." That's kind of where Grifter is now, but that's OK, this was the set-up issue, and there's room for improvement. Moreover, it's pretty easy to see this as a TV show with a relatively moderate effects budget. (The escape I mentioned might need reworking, but that might help it.) Of course, Tabu hated this ish; so, mileage will vary.



Demon Knights #1 is likewise set up; starting with Merlin and the Demon at the fall of Camelot, then skipping to 400 years later. For some reason, not knowing the year really bugged me; but it's the middle of the Dark Ages, and historical records would be spotty at best, which would explain why a colossal moving fortress is new to me...

So far, there are three immortals here: the Demon, who I like, but is frankly different with every writer. Some like him full-on, eat-a-baby Evil, others as Cranky Good; it's not sure where Cornell will put him yet. Then there's Madame Xanadu; whom I know nothing about. But, there is an interesting moment that if not her origin, is certainly a turning point for her; and her...relationship with Jason and/or the Demon will raise eyebrows. And then there's Vandal Savage, who is not yet the immortal villain we've seen in Flash and Justice League comics; here he's an immortal, immoral lout. We get a laugh or two from him, but we also know he goes on (and on, if he survives in the reboot to the present) to be a total dick. I wonder if it undermines anything to know those three are going to make it; but I'm onboard for at least the first storyline here.

After three Fear Itself issues, and this being the first of a two-part Spider Island tie-in, most of Herc has been more devoted to crossovers than his own storylines. Which is or isn't a bad thing, depending on if you've been enjoying the depowered Hercules stint in Brooklyn. This month, which opens with a brief skirmish with the X-Men that will conclude next month, Herc gets bit by a bedbug and gets spider-powers. Including spider-angst. While entertaining, it doesn't look like Herc is ever going to be hitting on all cylinders, since #10 will be the last issue, pending another go-around. Here's hoping.

Scans from Baltimore: the Curse Bells #2, written by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, art by Ben Stenbeck; Grifter #1, written by Nathan Edmondson, pencils by Cafu, and inks by Jason Gorder; Demon Knights #1, written by Paul Cornell, pencils by Diogenes Neves, inks by Oclain Albert; and Herc #7, written by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, pencils by June Brigman, and inks by Roy Richardson.
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