What Looks Good?

There's only one comic out this week, but if you think that's going to stop me from going to the comic shop, you're crazy!

Blackest Night #6 -- Ring in the New Year with an army of undead heroes waging war against the universe!

Happy New Year, everybody!

What I Read This Week

The Web #4 -- The wired-in superhero The Web tracks down the architect of all of his woes in the form of Deuces Wilde, but a fight is the last thing on his mind.  Meanwhile, the Hangman tangles with a Japanese Yokai whose powers are great enough to kill the undead hero!  Angela Robinson wraps up her story and run on the Web in amicable (if open-ended fashion), as John has to deal not only with Wilde but also with his own Web Hosts, and examine why it is he does what he does.  The Hangman co-feature was interesting as well, a nice mystical action story which used the pages it had effeciently.  I for one like the scratchy art for that feature but that's just me.  I am still digging both of the Red Circle titles and look forward to more from them.  In the words of The Web "I still believe in justice."

Image United #2 -- Across the globe, more and more of the apparent supervillain army are appearing, seemingly at random, while behind the scenes Omega Spawn makes his plans known.  More flashbacks from the Image Boys, including little known ShadowHawk nemesis The Liquifier being shot to death by Superpatriot.  Also: Warbuck!  Not the deepest thing you will read all year, but if you have any fond memories of the early days of Image then you owe it to yourself to check this out.  If only for Warbuck!  Also, there is a Bloodstrike backup which is so over the top, so gruesome, so gory, that is in fact awesome.  And I am not being sarcastic.  If every comic which Liefeld did after X-Force was a take on X-Force, than this is X-Force taken to its absolute zenith.

Iron Man vs Whiplash #2 -- Tony Stark finds himself locked up in an international prison for war criminals, but that's the least of his problems when the new Whiplash comes gunning for him!  It seems that this series takes place between "The Five Nightmares" and "World's Most Wanted," as Zeke Stane shows up for a cameo and the Skrull Invasion is mentioned, but Tony still seems to be in charge of SHIELD.  Anyway, we learn more about Ivan Vanko, and it seems that despite having a name very close to the original Crimson Dynamo, he really is the new (and hopefully improved) Whiplash for the Marvel Universe, adopting some movie continuity.  Not that I mind that, since it is done in a very strong comic featuring lots of Tony Stark doing what Tony Stark does.  Hopefully this Whiplash won't end up like the first one -- beaten to death!

Mighty Avengers #32 -- When The Absorbing Man runs wild in Project Pegasus, the Avengers show up to stop him!  And so do... the Avengers?  Solid Assemblers from Slott, who's work appeals to me as long as he keeps his politics out of it.  I especially liked the bit with Karnak telling Pym that he sees a lot less "weak spots" on him now, a nice touch and a nice use of the character.  Also nicely done was the thought bubbles, which were effortless and not belabored.  Good comic.

Tiny Titans #23 -- Bats, penguins, bunnies, and a cow!  Oh my!  Robin and Barbara have to figure out how to get all the bats back in the Batcave, and try to pull a fast one on the World's Greatest Detective.  Fun, fun, fun.

Re-read Pile: Web, Iron Man vs Whiplash, Mighty Avengers.

The Pick Of the Pile is a tough one, but I am going to side with Iron Man vs Whiplash, which delivered what I was looking for in an Iron Man comic book.

What Looks Good?

What?  Still looking for last-minute Christmas gifts?!  How short sighted!  Oh well, you best head to your local retailer and get some swag for those on your gift-giving list!

The Web #4 -- The Web versus Dueces Wilde!  The jerkiest superhero in the world has his work cut out for him.

Image United #2 -- Can Fortress unite the Image heroes against the Omega Spawn?

Iron Man vs Whiplash #2 -- Tony Stark is on trial for genocide, right as Whiplash is about to make his move.  Don't you hate it when that happens to you?

So, what looks good to YOU?

What I Read This Week

Finally caught up!

Justice League of America #39-40 -- The remains of the Justice League heads to the Hall of Justice, but what is in store for them there is nothing short of a nightmare!  James Robinson and Mark Bagely turn in a pair of horrific comics here, depicting the insane fight between the members of the Detroit Justice League living and dead.  I know I am more prone just because Steel is there, but the fast-paced, action-oriented style of these stories has me champing at the bit to see not only the finale of Cry For Justice but how Robinson is going to handle the main JLA book.  Strong tie-ins, but excellent in their own right as well.

Outsiders #25 -- Thw two-pronged Blackest Night tie-in concludes, as Katana, Halo, Creeper and Killer Croc deal with Katana's family, while back at home Geo-Force, Black Lightning, Owlman, and Metamorpho tangle with Terra.  This issue also serves as the end of Tomasi and Pasarin's run, making way for Dan Didio and Phillip Tan's new direction next month.  Well, if you gotta go, go with style, and that's what this is.  Both stories are strong and entertaining, and the action is pretty non-stop.  They even take the time to set up the next arc.  This run, as much as I have enjoyed it, will be remembered once more as an Outsiders crew who were not given time to stretch their legs and really live up to their potential.  Farewell, Peter and Fernando; welcome aboard, Dan and Phillip.

Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars #3 -- From Transylvania to London, Tony Stark and Justine Hammer are finding themselves up to their ears in Starktech!  A fun romp, but infused with typical Ultimate snarkiness (Dreadknight, upon seeing Justine attacking him, asks "Why is there a girl in my house without a leash on?") just so you know that this is not a mainstream Marvel book.  Not really sure how this all wraps up in one more issue, but it's been a solid read so far, and this issue is no exception.

Invincible Iron Man #21 -- With all of the necessary players in one place, Tony Stark's master plan to "reboot" himself starts!  A lot less in the talking heads department than last month, while this issue gives the illusion of a lot of things going on, there really isn't all that much.  But as far as a set up issue, it's pretty decent.  The art is pretty good save for the utterly awful new costume for The Ghost.

Re-Read Pile: Justice League of America, Outsiders, Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars, Invincible Iron Man

The Pick Of The Pile is Outsiders, just barely edging out JLoA (which I am considering one issue for my purposes here).  

What I Read This Week III

Finally caught up!  Except I am going to the shop today to buy more comics!  ARRGH!

Doom Patrol #5 -- On oolong Island, the arrival of the Black Lanterns has put this normally bizarre tropical burg on the path to pure chaos!  And back in Evansville, the Clique demands that Will Magnus help them get makeovers!  The juxtaposition of the Doom Patrol and Metal Men has never been greater, and never more appreciated, that in this issue.  The front of the book features one of the best "big event" tie-ins I have read in years, giving equal attention to the stars as well as the gyest baddies, while still moving the overall plot forward.  (Bonus: An extended cameo from Hawkman baddie Ira Quimy, AKA IQ!)  And the Metal Men backup is a hoot, same as it is every month, with the best line going to Mercury's "those guys are still alive?!"  All around excellent comics right here.

Red Robin #7 -- Tim Drake has messed up, and it will cost the life of an innocent young woman unless he can stop the Council of Spiders!  Action-packed issue as Red Robin has to fight off Council members while trying to keep Tam Fox from feeling the sting of their venom.  Yost and To do a good job balancing the fighting with the flashbacks, and deliver a nifty third act -- I'm certainly piqued for the conclusion next month.

The Shield #4 -- In Brazil, a rash of mysterious disapperances are seemingly tied into the HIVE facility which the Shield shut down in Bialya... but what's the connection to the Great Ten?  Meanwhile, the Inferno stands revealed as federal agents -- and the Nuetralizers -- surround him!  Another solid Red Circle issue, with an insane, Kirby-on-Cap style lead (Nazi robots abducting natives in Brazil for some evil purpose?!  Heck yes!), and a backup that closes out of the opening story while introducing a classic DC character to the mix.  The Shield feature also has some very interesting dialogue by General Latham about one General Lane, heh.  This series continues to impress.

War Machine #12 -- The blowoff to the series, this issue certainly leaves it all on the table, with Team War Machine pulling their biggest gambit yet to save Rhodey and make sure the Bainsville Ten get what is coming to them.  If you are going to end a series, this is the way to do it -- with a ton of action, and answering/solving/completing the hero's questions/mysteries/quest which was the basis of the title.  I enjoyed this title while it lasted, but now it's just one more Marvel title I liked canned in under two years (New Invaders, Nightcrawler, Heroes For Hire, New Excalibur, et al).  Looking forward to seeing Rhodey over in Invincible Iron Man, hopefully.

Re-Read pile: Doom Patrol, The Shield.

The Pick of the Pile is Doom Patrol, which delivered just about everything I imagine you could want from a major event tie-in while still remaining true to the feature itself.  But the other 3 titles were all very strong as well.

The Countdown Is On!

Holy smokes, it's the first Iron Man 2 trailer!

Let the anticipation OFFICIALLY begin!

What Looks Good?

We're bearing down on Christmas already!  For serious!  Oh man!  How am I going to have time to wrap my wife's gifts and still buy a little something for myself!

Justice League of America #40 -- Black Lantern Steel.  Aw crap.

Outsiders #25 -- The Blackest Night tie-in ends, as does the run of Tomasi and Pasarin.  Hopefully this will end nicely, and the next run will do as well.

Tiny Titans #23 -- You cannot fight the power of kids comics!

Mighty Avengers #32 -- Hank Pym versus Norman Osborn!  Man -- which of those two has more personality problems?!

Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars #3 -- Ultimate Dreadknight!  While I, for one, am tickled pink, isn't that some sort of shark-jumping moment for the Ultimate Universe?

So, what looks good to YOU?

No Subject

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What I Read This Week Part II

The next batch of comic reviews, as I continue to try to catch up!

Creepy #2 -- Another gaggle of gruesome, gory graphic fiction for your guilt-free gobbling pleasure!  There's some great stuff in here, including a very funny Loathsome Lore about torture devices (!), but the overall effect is brought down by the second feature, "Carnivore," about a car which runs on meat, that is bogged down by nearly incomprehensible artwork.  Still, a strong and superlative horror comics effort.

glamourpuss #10 -- Stan Drake's relationship with his second wife, Bunny, and her relationship with the character Eve Jones, is juxtaposed with some Profound Insights about swimsuits.  Sim goes off on a tangent here, moving away from talking about Drake's photorealism style and more about his marriage, which is always thorny territory for someone like Sim.  Still, the artwork is beautiful, the history is interesting, and the Profound Insights are indeed Profound.  Every issue of this title makes me want the next one more.

Aliens #4 -- Deep in the crystal cavern, our intrepid band has to face not only the xenomorphs, but the ancient madness lurking therein.  The only conclusion one could expect from this story goes down here, and there's nothing wrong with it, but if you are expecting something mind-blowing, then you are going to be disappointed.  Still, this was a good series and a nice re-introduction of the Aliens property to Dark Horse.

The Pick of The Pile is a tough one.  Both glamourpuss and Creepy hit the right notes for me, but I am going to give it to glamourpuss because Creepy was less consistant.

What I Read This Week

Still trying to catch up on the comics from the last two weeks... the pile keeps growing!  Being sick and travelling aren't helping, let me tell you.

Blackest Night: The Flash #1 -- Johns and Kollins are back, but its a new Flash and a new set of rules this time out.  Kollins' work is even more stylized than it was on Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge, and this does (unfortunately) spoil some of the ending of Flash: Rebirth, but generally I thought this was a well-executed tie-in and I am very much looking forward to seeing the next part.  And Kollins on Flash is always a benefit.

House of Mystery #20 -- Cain has come to reclaim his house, but the Conception have other plans for it.  A fairly weak blowoff, with a new direction but little in the way of explanation.  Yeah, I know, "mystery," but part of the charm of this series had been actually giving the mysteries, ya know, answers.  A pat resolution hurts this issue, but the second story is fabulous.

Red Tornado #4 -- It's Red Tornado and Red Torpedo versus the Air Force... and then Red Volcano and Red Inferno!  Action-heavy issue which does the best it can with not a lot of plot.  One of the problems I have with the ubiquitous six issue solo miniseries is that these stories generally fit better in four issues (like they were back in the 80s and 90s), so you get issues like this, which are not bad but somewhat light.

Warlord #9 -- It's "spring" in Skartaris, and as newcomer McBane documents it, the residents of Shamballah muse about the past and the future in a land where there is no measurement of time.  There's a shocking amount of sex and nudity in this comic -- but somehow it's not naughty, but appropriate.  Anyways, this is a heck of a neat comic, a lushly illustrated interlude before the next story begins which demonstrates everything great about Grell's title.

Iron Man vs Whiplash #1 -- Tony Stark -- on trial for genocide!  I'm not sure where this fits in continuity, because its not quite the movie, and it's not quite the comics, but it's cool, and that's all that matters, although Whiplash's new costume is several kinds of riduclous all at once.

Re-Read pile: Blackest Night: The Flash, Warlord, Iron Man vs. Whiplash

The Pick Of The Pile is Warlord, which was a total throwback in an incredibly good manner.  

What Looks Good?

As the air grows crisper and the days get shorter, it makes us all think of that most special time of year -- New Comic Book Day.

DC Holiday Special 2009 -- The Holiday ones are usually better than the Halloween ones, so let's hope that trend continues.

Doom Patrol #5 -- The Chief really "got it" last time out!  (Yeeeouch!)

Red Robin #7  -- The Council of Spiders!  Versus!  The League of Assassians!  With Red Robin in the middle!

The Shield #4 -- "I'm not a superhero.  I'm a solider."  Only this one means it.

Invincible Iron Man #21 -- Talking heads, huzzah!

War Machine #12 -- The Trial Of The Century!  Or at least the one which ends this series.

So, what looks good to YOU?

What I Read This Week

I just picked up last week's comics this afternoon, so I don't have them read, BUT I do have my two Marvel sub comics, so nyah!

Invincible Iron Man #20 -- A lot of Marvel comic books are accused nowadays of being "nothing but talking heads," but in this case that's fairly literal, as more than half of the story features nothing other than the holographic talking head of Tony Stark.  Fraction is building Tony Stark back up after tearing him down in "World's Most Wanted," and this is a decent start, but there is too much talking and not enough going on at this point.  I know, I know, this is the opening chapter.  Hopefully this will be more enjoyable over the course of the story than "WMW."

Mighty Avengers #31 -- In China, the Unspoken (exiled former ruler of the Inhumans) is busy using his Xerogen gas to revert every human he can into an Alpha Primitive -- including Hank Pym's team of Avengers!  Bombastic and engaging story, which despite being part 6 of 6, was easy to pick up and follow.  Dan Slott (along with his co-writer Christos Gage) has a pretty good handle on the characters he is playing with (I'd argue he has no idea how to write Hawkeye), even though he still insists on making crummy political jokes.  And Sean Chen on art is a flashback to the old Heroes Return days of Iron Man which I am more than happy with.  So far, I have dug Slott's take on Mighty (from this issue and the World's Mightiest collection) and hopefully that will continue.

Re-read Pile: Invincible Iron Man, Mighty Avengers.

The Pick of the Pile is Avengers, which delivered the goods in an old style slugfest and satisfied me as an Assemblers fan despite Slott's idiotic politics.  IIM set the stage for something interesting but didn't really have enough "oomph."

What Looks Good?

Comics are out on Thursday this week, but that's alright: what's a day to a hardcore comic book hound?

Aliens #4 -- The subterranean horror concludes!

Blackest Night: The Flash #1 -- As we learned in Blackest Night #5, Nekron and the Black Hand have a thing for Barry Allen!

House of Mystery #20 -- Will Cain get his house back?  And if he does, what will be left of those who are living there?

Red Tornado #4 -- Reddy's family is running wild!

Warlord #9 -- All Grell all the time!

Iron Man: Requiem -- Not sure if I will get this... I have #144, but a color reprint of Tales of Suspense #39... eh...

Iron Man vs Whiplash #1 -- In time for the movie, natch!  Although I still wonder why Whiplash couldn't have been American, oh well!

Dead She Said TPB -- If you missed this one in singles, be sure to pick up the collection of this hard boiled detective meets giant bug horror series.

glamourpuss #10 -- So fabulous!

The Phantom: Generations #6 -- Like a Mack Bolan book, only with the Phantom, and illustrations, and in comic book format.

So, what looks good to YOU?

Iron Man 2 Advance One Sheet

Check out this mind-bogglingly awesome advance one-sheet to what is the most anticipated (for me) movie of 2010: Iron Man 2!  

War Machine looks pretty badass there, doesn't he?  I have to wonder, will the two Armored Avengers be standing back to back fighting off their foes, or will they instead be standing toe-to-toe?  Or, most likely, a little of both?  

In any event, I'm already hopped up on goofballs for this movie and can hardly wait until summer!

What I Read This Week Part II

Here's the other two books I got this week for your review-reading enjoyment!

The Web #3 -- With Dr. Archer escaped, his Web Hosts running wild all over the globe, and Batgirl punching him in the face, John Raymond has problems.  They're going to get worse when Oracle jacks into his network.  Meanwhile, the Hangman comes face to face -- sort of -- with a foe who can drown him on dry land.  Robinson and Robinson continue their strong work on the lead feature, as The Web has to try to rein in all of his bad decisions while still hunting down the man who killed his brother.  Robinson's (Angela) script is punchy and her dialogue snappy, including Web talking back to Oracle and generally not buying what she is saying, while Robinson's (Roger) art retains is dynamic style.  In the backup, Derenick and Sienkiewicz continue with their appropriately scratchy art for the character, while Rozum introduces a new threat.  I was a little surprised to see us switch gears to Japantown after dealing with the "regular" mob last issue, but I think these stories are more vignette-style at this point.  Good issue.

Futurama Comics #46 -- It's time to Choose Your Own Adventure when the Planet Express crew has to deliver a box to certain Dr. Moebius!  This comic is like what my son eats for breakfast: bananas.  At the end of each page, you are given a choice of where to go next, like a CYOA book, but it can be read straight through as well.  Futhermore, the characters themselves recognize that they are being given bizarre choices and options, adding to the inanity.  A great use of the comic book format, with lots of page turning gags and jokes.  One of the best issues of this series I've ever read, easily.

Re-Read Pile: The Web, Futurama Comics.

The Pick Of The Pile is Futurama, because while The Web continued to build the character of the biggest jerk this side of Guy Gardner, Futurama was completely hilarious in a manner which the TV show it is based on could never be.  Great stuff.

The Combined Pick Of The Pile is Blackest Night, but all four of these comics were superlative.  A very good week!

What I Read This Week Part I

Well, I got my comics from last week today, and even managed to read of few of them on my lunch break!

Blackest Night #5 -- In Coast City, Nekron has risen, bringing millions of willing slaves with him.  Can the alliance of the seven spectrums of light destroy his Black Lantern Battery and end this threat forever?  This issue does suffer from some catch-up-itis, as various plots from the tie-in books are given nods as an assist to readers only getting the main title (like yours truly).  But instead of wallowing in the information dump, Geoff Johns moves quickly to the next story beat, and things somehow manage to get even worse for our heroes by the end of this one.  Reis's pencils are fantastic, and Alex Sinclair's colors are moody and energetic.  This series has been superb so far and it has not shown any signs of stopping.  (By the way, good job by DC to get Flash: Rebirth #5 out before this one!)

Image United #1 -- In Chicago, the newcomer Fortress witnesses the Dragon and Youngblood battling the cybernetic mob enforcer Overtkill, while all across the country super-powered baddies are running wild.  But what does this rash of random violence have to do with Fortress's vision of the future where the heroes make a final stand against an unseen enemy?  There's not much story here from Kirkman, but this, folks, is an Image book.  At least, in so far as what "Image book" means to folks like me, who still remember the 1992 launch.  The fights are big and bombastic, the colors and costumes are straight out of the Nineties, and I have no idea who half of the characters are.  But it works in it's own way, as one part jam piece and one part apocalyptic crossover.  I may be biased, but Jim Valentino's stuff holds up the best, although honestly, Liefeld's posing may be suspect but his anatomy has improved quite a bit since I last read a book by him.  Even as someone who hasn't read an Image book other than Drawing From Life since last decade, this is a fun flashback which I am looking forward to checking out.

Re-read Pile: Blackest Night, Image United.

The Pick Of The Pile is Blackest Night, although I enjoyed both of these comics for different reasons.

Tomorrow hopefully I will have the rest of the pile red, including The Web #3 and Futurama Comics #46.  Unfortunately, I was unable to get a copy of Justice League: Cry For Justice #5, as it sold out at my shop and apparently I did not have it on the pull list.

Holiday Hiatus

As I mentioned earlier, my family and I are heading out of town tonight to head down to Florida to spend the holiday with my wife's family.  I'll be back next week, and hopefully actually have something to blog about.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

What Looks Good?

Well, since I am going to be out of town for the holiday, you guys get my picks a day earlier than usual... and I get to wait a full week to get my comics.  Blah!

Creepy Comics #2 -- Horror comics, HECK YEAH!

Blackest Night #5 -- Horror comic--err.  With the Black Lantern battery fully charged, what new evil awaits the world?

Justice League: Cry For Justice #5 -- JUSTICE!

The Web #3 -- The "jerkiest hero in the world" now has to deal with his own franchisers!

Image United #1 Cvr B (Valentino) -- I am so tempted with this, but if I can't get the ShadowHawk cover, I might pass!

Invincible Iron Man #20 -- Stark: Disassembled starts here, along with a new trade dress which seems to have people more excited than the story.

Futurama Comics #46 -- Hi-larious hi-jinks from the far flung future!

Godzilla vs Gigan T-Shirt -- How awesome is this?  SO AWESOME!

So what looks good to YOU?

What I Read This Week

These are a day late, yeah.  I ended up staying home to take care of both the baby and the wife yesterday, so I have an excuse at least.

Flash: Rebirth #5 -- I have one complaint about this issue, and it involves Jesse Quick's costume.  Otherwise, I am totally digging what Johns and EVS are doing here and cannot wait for the finale.  And then reading it all in one sitting.

Outsiders #24 -- The split-up team of Outsiders run into varios Black Lantern threats!  Most of this issue is a lot more quiet than I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it.  I like the scene with Halo and Katana, which shows how their relationship has grown since the Barr (t.m.b) days.  So far a good way for Tomasi and Pasarin to finish their run up.

Tiny Titans #22 -- Offspring, Plastic Man's kid, has fun on his first day at Sidekick Elementary, but watch out for that super bouncy ball!  The best bit involves the Stretchy Guy Club of Plastic Man, Offspring, Elongated Man, and Elastic Lad.

War Machine #11 -- The penultimate issue of the series, with War Machine being put through a mockery of justice by Norma Osborn in order to bury the transgressions revealed last issue.  Ares' courtroom behavior alone is worth the cost of admission.  The poltics are is silly but otherwise this is shaping into a strong send-off.

Red Robin #6 -- This title is a lot different from most of the comics I normally read -- mostly because I don't regularly read Batman-style comics -- but I am really enjoying it.  New artist Marcus To is extremely well-suited to this feature, and his Red Robin actually makes Tim look his age!

The Shield #3 -- Shield and Magog come face to shaggy face with Grodd, and have to get down and dirty to survive.  Meanwhile, Inferno is finding that hiding out is difficult when people you talk to end up dead.  I really enjoyed both parts of this issue.  The Shield feature tied up the opening arc very nicely, and included a nice bit of ambigiuity so that everything is not all neat and nice.  And in the backup, the mystery keeps building in nice ways.  Overall a lot of fun.

Re-read Pile: Flash: Rebirth, Outsiders, Red Robin, The Shield.

The Pick Of The Pile is Flash: Rebirth, but I'm a sucker for this series.  Outsiders and Shield were dang good as well.

So, what did YOU read this week?

What Looks Good?

Sorry about the lack of updates... fragging your hard drive will do that!  But comics, hoooo!

Flash: Rebirth #5 -- Oh man, been waiting for this one!

Justice Society of America 80 Page Giant #1 -- Hmmm, 80 pages of goodness!

Outsiders #24 -- Blackest Night hits the Outsiders crew!

Tiny Titans #22 -- Cuteness... too... cute!

Mighty Avengers #31 -- I wonder if my subscription is kicking in yet?  Because if it is...

Mighty Avengers: Earth's Mightiest -- ... maybe I should pick this one up?

War Machine #11 -- Rhodey's on trial as a war criminal... yeah, that's not good.

So, what looks good to YOU?

OT: Public Safety Announcement

No comic reviews this week, as I, believe it or not, never made it to the comic shop last week to pick up my purchases!  

Instead today I wanted to talk about something which is Off Topic, but I want all of my readers to think about.

While driving our son to daycare this morning, my wife and I witnessed a driver in a Ford Explorer veer off the road, bounce off a ditch, hit an incline and launch into the air, rolling several times before the driver was launched some twenty-something feet into the air, landing on the pavement.  We were the first people on the scene and my wife went to check on the driver while I called 911.  According to my wife, the guy (who was the only person in the vehicle) seemed in good shape considering, and could talk and breathe alright, though EMS did load him onto a backboard and immobilize him before putting him in the ambulance.

Where my wife and I work, we have a long-standing company commitment called HSE -- Health, Safety, and Environmental -- dedicated to a safe work and home life.  We do lots of field construction and craft work, and thus safety truly is one of our core values.  As such, we begin each meeting with an HSE Topic, and the accident this morning made me think of several which I have heard in my time here, which I want to share.

1) Accidents can, and almost always do, happen when you least expect them, in any place at any time.  Keep your wits about you at all times and be alert to your surroundings.

2) Don't take shortcuts.  Procedures are in place for a reason and if you skips steps you are inviting trouble.

3) Laws, rules and regulations are there for your safety and the safety of others.  Obey them.

4) Use the correct and appropriate safety equipment, every time.  In this case, wear your dang seatbelt!

5) If you carry a cellphone, and these days that's pretty much everyone, consider putting a contact in your phone titled "In Case of Emergency" or "ICE."  Emergency first-responders are trained to look for such contacts on cell phones of accident victims and this can help alert your family or loved ones of an accident if you are immobilized or cannot speak.

And finally, 6) Use common sense.  If something seems dangerous or foolish, chances are you're right.

I don't want to sound like some fire and brimstone educational film or anything, but seeing this guy thrown around like a ragdoll while his SUV was made to look like a Matchbox car was pretty harsh.  If he escapes without major injury, which it looked like he will, he'll be one lucky individual.

Stay safe everybody.  We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming, already in progress.

Everybody's Linking For The Weekend

Starting things off, go scope out this sweet George Perez Firestorm postcard, with thanks to Shag.

BONUS GAME!  Mac & Cheese Pizza Pie!  Mmmmm!

rob! brings the static, so to speak, with these Ideal toy sets.

What's in a costume?  Frank illuminates!

Ever wanted to see the female Red Guardian and Luke Cage argue?  James has your hookup!

Finally, check out this two part interview with DC Head Honcho (and upcoming Outsiders scribe) Dan DiDio over on CBR.

Unpublished Steel #6 Cover

I was inspired by Shag's recolored, never-before-published cover to Firestorm #6 over at Firestorm Fan, so I decided to post the last, unpublished cover to my favorite DC Implosion Title: Steel, The Indestructible Man #6.  This cover ended up being included in Cancelled Comic Cavalcade #2, while the interiors were eventually used in All-Star Squadron.

It's disappointing that this was not published, as it really is a dynamic, exciting cover, easily the best of the series.  

Hmm, maybe I will take a stab at trying to color this, although I am not nearly as artistically inclined as some of my fellow bloggers.  What do you say, folks?

What Looks Good?

It's still pouring rain here in South Carolina, and I have lunch meetings all week so I can't get to the comic shop anyway, but hey, that doesn't mean there's not new comics out there to be enjoyed!

Red Robin #6 -- Tim is taking on Ra's Al Ghul from the inside out, and it's not going to be pretty!

The Shield #3 -- It was crazy when it was just Shield and Magog battling mind controlled soldiers in the desert, and now we have GRODD!

So, what looks good to YOU?

What I Read This Week

Doom Patrol #4 -- Nile Caulder and the rest of the Doom Patrol have left a lot of bodies in their wake, so when the Dead begin to Rise, well, let's just say that they are in for it now.  And in the Metal Men backup, can our robotic heroes stand up to the fury of The Clique?!  Justiano does a good job filling in for Porter here, really pushing the horror angle of Giffen's story.  I especially like his use of the 6-panel grid page layout to open the story, which quickly comes unhinged (literally).  The Metal Men feature is a hoot, as usual, and combined they make for one heck of a good comic book.

House of Mystery #19 -- Cain is going to take back his House, no matter the cost!  Well, the cost might be higher than it seems... Things are starting to meander in this storyline, and it's not really clear where Sturges is headed.  The Cain feature was nice, though.

Red Tornado #3 -- Red Tornado and his sister Red Torpedo set out to track down Red Volcano, who in turn is on his way to seek out Red Inferno!  (Got all that?)  Similarly named robots aside, I enjoyed this issue and the continued fleshing out of Reddy and his extended "family."  Red Volcano is certainly a badass.  Nothing Earth-shattering but solid.

Warlord #8 -- Still without his memory, Warlord Travis Morgan fights Beastmen in Atlantean ruins... so why does this all seem so familiar?  Grell's pencils and script both shine in this fine S&S comic, with some gorgeous page layouts and excellent storytelling.  Plus I have a sneaking suspicion that we have not heard the last of certain elements of this tale.  If Grell wants to pencil two issues or so of Warlord a year, I for one will be very happy.

Iron Man: Armor Wars #4 -- Tony Stark... betrayed by Jim Rhodes to the Soviets?  It seems that way!  The climax of our All-Ages series winds up as (unsurprisingly but not unwelcomed) an armored slugfest.  Clearly this miniseries is designed to be read in collected or digest form, but it was fun while it lasted, especially for the old school baddies.  

The Phantom: Ghost Who Walks #6 -- In The Eastern Dark, The Phantom must save the kidnapped villagers and his friend from the "sleeping god," who seems to have rather a modern use for those sacrificed on his altar.  Very well done Adventure strip, with plenty of punching and buckling of swashes.  The end leaves more questions posed than answered, but in a good way.  The prose backup is well done as well, serving as something of a hype piece
for the upcoming Race Against Death one-shot (starring Julie Walker, the only female Phantom).  I cannot recommend this title strongly enough.

Re-Read Pile: Doom Patrol, Red Tornado, Warlord

The Pick Of The Pile is, fairly unsurprisingly, Doom Patrol, though Warlord was quite good as well.

What Looks Good?

Well, Halloween is over, which means that the countdown to Turkey Day is on!  And what better way to begin that celebration that with going out and buying comics!

Doom Patrol #4 -- Blackest Night for the Doom and Gloomers!

House of Mystery #19 -- More craziness at the zaniest House this side of The Space Between.

Red Tornado #3 -- Reddy and his sister investigate their ticked off brother.

Warlord #8 -- More Mike Grell goodness!

Iron Man: Armor Wars #4 -- Shellhead!  Vs!  Communists!

James Bond Omnibus -- Comic strip adaptions of the first few James Bonb novels... this is pretty much aimed directly at me.

The Phantom: Ghost Who Walks #6 -- The Eastern Dark is in for a rude awakening!

So, what looks good to YOU?

What I Read This Week

Blackest Night #4 -- With Flash, Mera, and Atom cornered in the Hall of Justice, things are going from bad to worse out in the world at large.  And when the Black Lantern is full charged, then things get really bad... Johns shines a spotlight on a few characters he obviously likes in this issue, and as is par for the course for him, puts at least some of them through terrible trauma.  The last page reveal may have been spoiled by solicits, but since I have no idea who this character is, I don't mind that.  Anyways, more gruesome fun as we enter the second half of DC's event series.

The Web #2 -- The "world's jerkiest superhero" has to deal with the mess his brother left behind, and makes a business decision which could change the face of superheroics forver.  Then, The Hangman faces off with The Ugly Man!  Both halves of this comic are very well done.  The Web adventure mixes light-heartedness with heavier stuff for a nicely balanced tale.  He seems to be shaping up to be a "hard luck hero" type, albeit one with lots and lots of money.  The Hangman feature is harsher, with a great flashback cameo involving the Golden Age Sandman.  The Ugly Man reminds me of Sledgehammer from Steel, The Indestructible Man.  All in all both this series and The Shield have impressed me quite a bit.

Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Anti-Venom #2 -- Anti-Venom and The Punisher put aside their differences and team up to take out a drug cartel.  Yeah, right... more like Frank keeps trying to kill Eddie as well!  Zeb Wells can write Eddie Brock stories very well, I thought so with Dark Origin and I continue to think so here.  Paulo Siqueira would not be my first choice but he handles the art nicely.  All in all, I ma really digging this series -- mostly because it is aimed straight at me!

Ultimate Comics Armor Wars #2 -- Tony Stark and Justine Hammer head to Europe in Stark's plush "puddle jumper" to track down just where the stolen Iron Man data ended up, and run into the bizarre Dr. Faustus.  Fun adventure where Ellis gets to flex his muscles both for smarmy dialogue and funky technology.  The second badguy who shows up at the end is not one I expected to pop up, but made me happy to see in action.  So far, this series has been a lot better than The Ultimates (of which I managed one issue before I gave up) and Ultimate Iron Man (of which I got the first miniseries and passed on the second).

War Machine #10 -- Rhodey's war against Norman Osborne reaches it's climax, and it seems that the frontal assault was not Rhodey's true agenda after all.  Starts out well but falls apart in the second half, as the scope of War Machine's plans to strike at Osborne and HAMMER are silly-approaching-laughable.  The cliffhanger is a plus, as is the large number of former West Coast Avenger guest stars.

Re-Read Pile: Blackest Night, The Web, Ultimate Comics Armor Wars.

The Pick Of The Pile is a tough call, as Blackest Night was really good, but I am going to give it to The Web.

Everybody's Linking For The Weekend

Shag shows off this awesome "lost" cover to Firestorm #6 by Al Milgrom.

Bonus Game!  Check out the "Shagatorium!"  (He calls it the Comicatorium, but my name is better.)

Frank treats us to some Vile Menagerie entries which are sure to please.

rob! showcases a hilariously awesome Heroclix figure for classic JLA for Despero.

Doug scoops us on a Doom Patroller on Batman: The Brave And The Bold.  Speaking of which...

Finally, check out this preview of Doom Patrol #4, a Blackest Night tie-in.

Happy Halloween everybody!

What Looks Good?

It's a SUPER SPOOKY WEEK here at the Bunker... mostly because Halloween is on Saturday.  Actually I guess it not all that spookt.  At least new comics are still coming out!

Blackest Night #4 -- Halloween tie-in, or coincidental shipping?  You make the call!  

The Web #2 -- Apparently the sales for this and The Shield were in the toilet.  Because sales is the only indicator of quality, ya know.

Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Anti-Venom #2 -- Ladies and gents, the 90s!

Guardians of the Galaxy #19 -- Cross Time Caper Redux?

Nova #30 -- Starkiller... the bounty hunter you love to hate!  That, or just hate.

Ultimate Comics Armor Wars #2 -- Boozing and woozing in a post-apocalyptic wasteland!

War Machine #10 -- I have no idea how Rhodey is going to get out of this one, folks.

So, what looks good to YOU?

Unbridled Capitalism: Greenville Comic Con (10/24)

This past weekend, Greenville played host to one of their two comic book shows, Greenville Comic Con, in the "ballroom" over at the Quality Inn.  You can't beat spending a couple of hours on a Saturday buying comics!

Iron Man: I'm still hitting that "price wall" on my Shellhead collection, but I was able to pick up one, #107.

Hawkman: Most of the Hawkman stuff I am looking for at this point is hard to find in most cheaper bins, so not too much here.  I did get JSA: Classified #22 featuring the Winged Wonder, plus he also shows up in...

All-Star Squadron: ... specifically, #8-9.  I got these for the simple fact that this is the place to find the unpublished sixth issue of Steel: The Indestructible Man!  I have a sneaking suspicion that once I get into this, I might start collecting this title, which is a slipperly slope.

Avengers: The Assemblers were pretty well represented, as I got #211-213, 217, and 221 -- including Hank Pym going crazy and slapping Jan, wooo.

Robocop: I slowly but surely am finishing up my Marvel Robocop run, a series which I will tell anyone who listens that is better than it has any right to be.  I added #20-22, leaving me with just #23 to finish up!

Black Lightning:  Everyone's favorite electrically-charged hero  made a decent showing as well, as I got v.2:no.6, 8, 11, and 13.

Other Stuff: Some neat-o random stuff was out there for those willing to look.  I was able to pull up Terror, Inc.: Apocalypse Soon 1-4 for four dollars.  Not apiece, but all told!  Woo!  I also bought Crisis on Multiple Earths v.1 for 6 bucks from a guy with too many trades priced at $6.00 a pop.  Also, I snagged a little plastic Hawkman toy in the style of an Army Men toy!

All told, a successful excursion in capitalism.  I like these smaller shows for the fact that I can escape without too much damage to my wallet, but it is becoming more and more evident that I am going to have to start spending more to track down some of the stuff I am searching for.  But that, friends, is another story.

What I Read This Week

Outsiders #23 -- In the swamps out in Lousiana, Katana, Halo, and The Creeper are hunting down Killer Croc, but they may have bitten off more than they can chew when Man-Bat wings in as well!  Oh man, was this a good comic book!  It had action, character, snappy dialogue, two classic baddies, and a kickass cliffhanger.  What else could you want?  I really like what Tomasi is doing with Man-Bat and hope that thread is picked up someplace else, although it is something of a change of direction from his role in BFTC.  It's comics like this which make me sad that Tomasi and Pasarin are leaving the title.

Tiny Titans #21 -- The first rule of Pet Club is DO NOT TALK ABOUT PET CLUB.  That notwithstanding, we get a whole issue dedicated to Pet Club, as we bear witness to their struggle to find someplace to meet!  Cute and silly as usual, this title is guaranteed to generate laughs month in and month out.

Re-Read Pile: Outsiders

The Pick Of The Pile is Outsiders, which continues to hit the notes I want to hear, although Tiny Titans is always a treat.

So what did YOU read this week?

What Looks Good?

The temperatures have been plunging into the 30s here at night, which means its a good time to get under the covers and read some comics.

DCU Halloween Special 2009 -- The Halloween Specials have been hit or miss, so we shall see how this one rates.

Outsiders #23 -- "The Hunt" continues, and I can only hope that this format continues when the new creative team comes in.

Tiny Titans #21 -- The most adorable superhero comic you've ever read!

Invincible Iron Man #19 -- The blowoff to "World's Most Wanted" is probably about six months overdue, but at this point I am happy just to be finishing it up and starting a new story.

So, what looks good to YOU?

Awesome Files: Something I Never Expected

DC is releasing a Showcase Presents volume of Secrets of Sinister House, AKA The Sinister House Of Secret Love.  Even more of a treat, this volume collects the entire series, all 18 issues.  Here's the solicitation text:

DC's classic gothic horror/romance from 1971-1974 is collected for the first time in this value-priced collection. This moody, atmospheric volume collects THE SINISTER HOUSE OF SECRET LOVE #1-4 and THE SECRETS OF SINISTER HOUSE #5-18.

Now, I know the Romance angle of this series was dropped after the name change, but the fact that DC is collecting these truly obscure titles really puts a smile on my face.  Can Showcase Presents: The Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love/Forbidden Tales of the Dark Mansion be far behind?

What I Read This Week

Batman #691 -- Two-Face has broken into the Batcave, and he is certain that "Batman" is not the Batman he tangled with before!  Winnick and Bageley wrap up their opening arc in solid fashion here.  Nothing too spectacular but fast-moving, entertaining and sensible.  Winnick continues his habit of ending his stories by planting the seeds for the next one, which I really like.

House of Mystery Halloween Annual #1 -- Gone missin'.  Apparently shorted by Diamond.

Red Robin #5 -- Tim lies bleeding to death after being assaulted by a member of the Council of Spiders... so either he gets help from an unexpected side or this is a short issue.  The new threat is fleshed out and the relationship between Tim and the League of Assassains is further investigated in this issue, which admirably sets the stage for the next storyline.

The Shield #2 -- In Bialya, The Shield and Magog find themselves clashing not only with each other, but brainwashed American soliders!  Then, the Inferno tangles not only with Green Arrow but Black Canary as well.  The lead feature is excellent.  Trauttman and Rudy have hit the ground running and this has quickly become a favorite.  The same goes for the backup, which has quite a lot going on despite being only ten pages.  Very strongly recommended.

Iron Man: Iron Protocols -- Shellhead (back when he was the Director of SHIELD) heads to the Arctic to investigate a rogue AI which has taken a zoological research station hostage.  We laos have a backup bringing back a character from the hallowed antiquity we call "the late 90s."  I am not sure what the purpose of this comic is, seeing as the main story takes place before the current "status quo" (and as we all know, "status quo" is everything in Marvel), but, that being said, I rather enjoyed it.  Of course, I enjoyed it mostly because it was a fun pair of Iron Man tales which didn't linger over how absolutely awful the character is, but, my friends, we take it where we can get it.

Re-Read Pile: The Shield

The Pick Of The Pile is The Shield, which really was excellent and had a heck of a cliffhanger.

So, what did YOU read this week?

Hiatus: Gone Fishin'

Heading to the beach to go fishing... so no blogging for me!  I'll see everyone back here Monday morning!

What Looks Good?

I may be heading out of town to fish this weekend, but that doesn't mean I can't buy my comics today!

Batman #691 -- The conclusion of the first post-BFTC story.  I have really liked Bagely and Winnick on this book and am looking forward to seeing what they come up with here before Daniel takes over next issue.

House of Mystery Halloween Annual #1 -- Seems appropriate!

REBELS #9 -- Well, it has Comet and Adam Strange in it, coming hot on the heels of both the neat-o Annual and the blowoff of Strange Adventures, so they'll get my money for this one.

Red Robin #5 -- Tim has the "proof" he is looking for, but will he live long enough to do anything with it?

The Shield #2 -- The battle in Bialya rages on as the Red Circle continues to expand!  I can't put my finger on it, but I am definitely digging this new little corner of the DCU.

Iron Man: Iron Protocols -- I'm always a sucker for Shellhead one-shots.

Pride & Predjudice HC -- I'm considering getting this one for my wife for her birthday or Christmas... hmmm... good thing she doesn't read this blog!

So, what looks good to YOU?

What I Read This Week

Doom Patrol #3 -- The Chief pulls in another member of the Patrol to take care of the living black hole anomoly -- whether he wants to or not.  Meanwhile, the new member of the Metal Men who's name I cannot remember tries to help out and runs into Douglas, Robot Hunter!  The Doom Patrol feature does a great job of introducing Mento, and showing him to be just as screwed up as the rest of them.  But the real treat to me is seeing Dr. Caulder really play the role of the "Anti-Professor Xavier," as the manipulative SOB essentially bullies Mento into helping him (and violating a teammate in the process).  As a fan of the original, pre-Giant Size #1 X-Men, I am totally digging that potrayl.  The backup is just great fun, especially since your blogger is a fan of Magnus, Robot Fighter.  Apparently sales are not great on this title, but I don't care -- I'm still supporting it fully.

House of Mystery #18 -- The Space Between is filled with all sorts of strange and bizarre sorts of creatures, but nothing may be more bizarre than those already in the House of Mystery itself.  More Sandman-esque oddness from Sturges and company, this current storyline is not really talking to me.  The second story, telling the epic tale of a brave roach of legend, is much more entertaining.  This is a title which I enjoy while reading, but doesn't stick with me; it's perpetually on the chopping block.  Time will tell.

REBELS Annual #1 -- The first of two DC space opera epics this week, this oversized issue brings us inside the inner circle of Starro The Conqueror, and his armada bent on galactic domination.  Nearly worth the cost of admission just for the showdown between two classic JLA bad guys in Starro and Despero, but the additional fleshing out Starro and his elite warriors is very satisfying.  This is clearly written in the mold of Marvel's Anihillation books, but if you are going to ape something, it's smart to ape something really darn good.  

Red Tornado #2 --  The Android Atlas (bwa-ha-ha) and his sister, Red Torpedo, have to deal with the fact that they kinda sorta are trespassing on a US Naval base, while Red Volcano continues his interrogation of Professor Morrow.  Strong second chapter which does it's job of setting up the balance of the story very well.  So far I have enjoyed the characters on display here and am eager to see them all thrown together -- seeing Reddy and Torp streaking across the sky was very enjoyable.

Strange Adventures #8 -- Synnar: the most powerful being in the universe.  And now he has gathered his Abberant Six together in order to take the next step in his ultimate plan to overthrow God Himself!  I must admit that I expected a huge blowoff from this issue, but Starlin mixes it up and throws us a more philosophical climax.  We learn the role of each member of the Six, and Synnar is, ultimately defeated -- at least as "defeated" as someone with unlimited cosmic power can be defeated, anyway.  Starlin's art, as always, is a real pleasure to look at, and he really seems to be having a blast drawing these characters.  The cosmic side the DCU has a new god-level character to contend with, and hopefully at some point this story will get picked up.  (Holy crap, can you imagine if Synnar put his gaze upon Starro as his instrument of destruction?  DC, make it happen!)

Superman: World of New Krypton #8 -- Thanks to a miscommunication, a Thanagarian fleet has engaged the Kryptonians right while they are transporting one of Saturn's moons to their new digs!  But things are going to get worse for Kal-El and his people even if they can handle the forces of Thanagar.  This issue was remarkably disappointing.  James Robinson and Greg Rucka try to give the Thanagarians an "alien" speech pattern which tries very hard to be catchy but ultimately fails (and sounds nothing like any Thanagarians I have ever read).  Ultimately, this story seems like filler to get to the next guest star (who, admittedly makes a FREAKING AWESOME last page appearance).  Pete Woods' art is the main draw here, although I am pretty sure that Thanagarian space ships were not bird-shaped.  Of course, I am just nitpicky (and could very well be wrong as well).

Warlord #7 -- Travis Morgan comes to the aid of a young maiden being chased by brigands, but after the battle, finds that he has no memory at all of who he is.  Beautifully crafted comic by Grell, who looks like he never actually stopped drawing Skartaris.  (What a treat this week -- Jim Starlin and Mike Grell both on pencils.)  The issue is a set-up, but so far I like what it is setting up: a lost city, forgotten gods, sub-humans, all good stuff.   If Grell can continue to do the art for one story a year or so, while still handling the writing chores, I'll be a happy reader.

Iron Man: Armor Wars #3 -- The Red Barbarian's Soviet superweapon Omega Red has been deployed against Iron Man... and the Golden Avenger doesn't even have a full set of armor to fight him with!  Fast-paced All-Ages armored action, with guest stars and cameos a-plenty.  I was super-jazzed by the villian choice -- have Shellhead and Omega ever tangled before?  I'm very much looking forward to getting the last issue so I can read this story in one sitting.

Justice League of America 80 Page Giant #1 -- A week late, but I got this one!  The Justice League is battling the time-manipulating Epoch when they are scattered through time and space!  Classic set-up for this kind of story produces a lot of fun pairings, including Black Canary and Zatanna hanging out with the Crimson Avenger in the 1930s, Vixen and John Stewart matching up with Shining Knight in 6th Century England, and Firestorm and Green Arrow fighting a different immortal foe in World War II.  One question: Where the heck did Steel come from?  Another question: Why didn't the Samurai use his wind powers?  A nice big read which should satisfy those looking for a Justice League fix, like me.  Nothing Earth-shattering, but a lot fun nonetheless.

Re-Read Pile: Doom Patrol, Strange Adventures, REBELS

The Pick of the Pile is Doom Patrol.  Strange Adventures was good but ended on kinda of a weird note, the 80-pager was a lot of fun, and REBELS was very solidly what an "Annual" should be, but the double dose of quirky heroics takes it this week.

So what did YOU read this week?

What Looks Good?

It's a grey, rainy day here in South Carolina, and I think I am coming down with a cold.  Better run to the store and pick up some medicine, if you know what I mean.

Doom Patrol #3 -- The quirkiest title on the shelves from the Big Two, bar none.  In a good way.

House of Mystery #18 -- What is this new threat to the House and what is their connection to Cain?

Rebels Annual #1 -- Starro The Conquerer as you've never seen him before!

Red Tornado #2 -- I keep wanting to call him the Android Avenger, just because I am a lot more familiar with the Vision... what is his cutesy nickname?

Strange Adventures #8 -- What is the meaning to life, the universe, and everything?  SYNNAR THE DEMIURGE.

Superman: World of New Krypton #8 -- Thanagar and New Krypton throw down!  Nth metal vs those weird crystal things!  All this plus Jemm, Son of Saturn?!

Warlord #7 -- Grell on pencils and words!  Grell on pencils and words!

Iron Man: Armor Wars #3 -- In this case, "AA" means "All Ages," not "Alcoholics Anonymous."

So, what looks good to YOU?

Jim Starlin Must Be So Proud

BEHOLD THE AWESOME COSMIC POWER OF MIGHTY MUGG THANOS.

What I Read This Week

Aliens #3 -- Down in the mysterious crystal city, the colonists find themselves surrounded by the xenomorphs while trying to find their lost compatriot.  But the aliens are not the only threat in the strange metropolis.  Its been a while since #2 came out so I had to think about some of the early pages for a minute or two, but it all came back to me pretty easily.  Reminds of some of the old Dark Horse Aliens books, which is pretty good praise.

Futurama Comics #45 -- You watched it!  You can't unwatch it!  It's the Anthology Of Interest II!  When the Professor breaks out the "new" and "improved" What If Machine (along with the Finglonger), all sorts of hypothetical craziness breaks out!  Fun and funny, with lots of great gags.

glamourpuss #9 -- While Dave Sim expounds upon the sex appeal of Stan Drake's sexy Eve Jones from The Heart of Juliet Jones, glamourpuss gives us some notes from her annual trip to rehab, and confronts her alien opposite, ssupruomalg (pronounced "Supromal-G").  Typically superlative effort from Sim on both the art history and satire, all wrapped up under a very cool Gene Colon cover.  I wish that some folks online would keep an open mind about this book and not just jump on the "Sim sucks" or "he's tracing" bandwagon because of certain high-profile creators who feel the need to bash other's work.

The Phantom: Generations #5 -- The 5th Phantom must head to England to track down the bloodthirsty pirate, and finds himself a jungle in Sherwood Forest... complete with wild animals imported from Africa!  This story is told 3rd person omniscent style instead of 1st person, which is a nice change of pace.  The tale itself is nifty, putting The Phantom out of his normal setting of Africa and making good use of it.  Enrique Alcatena's art has a very line-heavy look which fits the Phantom very well.  I have really enjoyed this series, which would make for one hell of a bound hardcover!  Ideas are brewing...

The Phantom: Ghost Who Walks #5 -- Villagers and tourists all over Bangalla are being kidnapped by mysterious masked men, and being taken to the "Eastern Dark!"  What is the slavers connection to the Phantom and the "Sleeping God" whom he has fought before?  Strong start to "Return Of The Eastern Dark" which does a good job of tying all sorts of stories together: classic Phantom strips, the prose backups from this series, and the previous Moonstone comic.  It's all very pulpish and a ton of fun.  Also features the start of a new prose backup as well.

Wow, all "small press" books this week!

Re-read Pile: The Phantom: Ghost Who Walks

The Pick Of The Pile is Ghost Who Walks, which started a new story on a very high note.

So, what did YOU read this week?

Everybody's Linking For The Weekend

Shag brings the awesome Enterprise wallpapers.

Frank knows iconic, my friends, at least when it comes to Martian Manhunter covers.

rob! has a perchance for coloring books, it would seem.

Kelson has some thoughts about getting trimming the fat.

And finally, check out my boy Adama on the Back To The Bins podcast!

One Panel, One Question (Avengers Classic #9, reprinting Avengers #9)

Has there ever been a tougher dude with a green and red uniform than Wonder Man?

I chose this panel because 1) Wonder Man is freaking AWESOME and 2) I have decided to take advantage of the ridiculous rate Marvel is giving me and subscribe to Mighty Avengers... even though ol' Simon here is no longer a member.  

I guess no comic is perfect.  

What Looks Good?

It's getting chilly here in South Carolina, which means that fall has fallen.  And fall is the perfect season to stay inside and read!

Aliens #3 -- What took so long?  A cool story but the delay is a bit disconcerting.

High Moon TPB -- I liked this one quite a bit on Zuda, so this is a worthy purchase.

Icon: A Heroes Welcome TPB -- Icon!  The greatest superhero you've never read!

Justice League of America 80 Page Giant #1 -- Ahhhh, if only this had come out a few weeks ago...

Futurama Comics #45 -- This comic is so good even my non-comics fan coworker is interested in it.  

glamourpuss #9 -- glamourpuss is always a treat, but a Gene Colon cover is like a double plus good treat.

The Phantom: Generations #5 -- Looks like Moonstone got a little behind...

The Phantom: Ghost Who Walks #5 -- ... so we get a double dose of the Man-Who-Cannot-Die this week.

So, what looks good to YOU?

What I Read This Week

The Web #1 -- John Raymond set out to earn fame and glory as The Web... but instead found only heartache and pain.  Now the hero of the people is out to find the men responsible for the murder of his brother, starting with the mercenary known as Deadly Force.  Meanwhile, The Hangman finds that his nightly stalking of San Francisco's seedy side can have an deteriment to his daily routine as Dr. Robert Dickering.  I liked this comic book quite a bit.  It's not perfect but, like it's counterpart, The Shield #1, I thought it was a solid effort in launching two new strips and giving each one a unique look and voice.  The lead is handled by Angela Robinson, who I am not familiar with, who gives it a grim but not over the top sort of detemined tone.  The art by Roger Robinson is dynamic-bordering-on-90s-excessive, but I like the match with the character and story.  The backup, by John Rozzum and the art team of Tom Derenick and Bill Sienkiewicz, is also pretty intriguing, with the art especially suited to the dark nature of the character.  We'll see if these four features can continue to keep my interest, and I may be the only one on the web with this opinion, but so far I am definitely on board with the Red Circle.

Wednesday Comics #12 -- The Grand Summer Experiment ends in satisfying fashion here, with most all of the strips providing nice codas to their storylines.  Flash probably has the best such wrap up, although one should never underestimate the appeal of having Hawkman and Aquaman double team a Tyrannosaurus.  A hugely fun series which I am looking forward to re-reading.

Guardians of the Galaxy #18 -- The Fault is causing all sorts of strangeness for a few members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, as Star-Lord, Jack Flagg, Mantis, Bug, and Cosmo find themselves in an alternate future where Killraven and his team of Guardians of the Galaxy defend Earth from the Martian invaders!  This issue has a real "Cross-Time Caper" vibe, with the team being shunted to and fro across alternate versions of reality.  Wes Craig's art is cartoony but fun and fits the story nicely.  Gets bonus points for the excellent depiction of Hollywood, AKA the far future version of the immortal Avenger Wonder Man.

Nova #29 -- Enter: Starstalker!  With the new new Nova Corps. getting their bearings, through the Fault streaks a Xandarian cruiser thought lost for years... and with it, some unwelcome guests.  The new storyline picks up nicely on the closing of the previous one, but ultimately this issue is derailed by the annoying guest star, the obscure Marvel cosmic bounty hunter Starstalker, who tries to be "in your face" and ends up more irritating than anything else.  Or, in other words, like Comet but not endearing.  I'm still on the fence about getting this title monthly and this issue did not help that cause.

Re-read Pile: The Web

The Pick of the Pile is Wednesday Comics, though Web had a strong debut, and Guardians was nifty in a Claremont and Davis manner.

So, what did YOU read this week?

Weekend Hiatus

Well, my wife and I have packed up seemingly everything we own and are heading down to Myrtle Beach with our son for his first family vacation.  (He didn't really help with the packing.)  Should be back and blogging for your reading pleasure on Monday.  Have a good weekend!

What Looks Good?

As we move from summer to fall, it's time to get ready for those cooler months by stocking up on all the necessities.

The Web #1 -- The Red Circle is now complete!  Or something along those lines.

Wednesday Comics #12 -- I've had enough, after this issue I am not buying this title any more!  Haha, I've been waiting for months to use that joke.

Guardians of the Galaxy #18 -- The mystery of the Fault deepens!

Nova #29 -- What will the new Nova Corps do now that the War of Kings is finished?

So, what looks good to YOU?

"First...Then...Now" Addendum

It helps to, ya know, POST THE IMAGE!

"First... Then... Now" 2009 Edition House Ad

I have seen this new DC House Ad over the last few weeks, and I have to say, I got a good chuckle out of it.  Of course, the original version of this ad featured Superheroes up top, Mystery characters in the middle, and Sword & Sorcery characters on the bottom.  Oh, what I would give for those days once again!

Ironically, I just saw this ad in the pages of Warlord, which, of course, was one of the S&S titles advertised on the original version, which you can take a peak at over at rob's Aquaman Shrine, which is where I grabbed this scan from.

Interesting also to consider that DC (or, at least whomever at DC was constructing this ad) considers Red Robin, Magog, Batwoman, and Power Girl to be their next "icons."  Three of those make perfect sense, but if Magog becomes an "icon," aren't we kinda stumbling down the path to Kingdom Come?

What I Read This Week

Blackest Night #3 -- We learn some more about the Black Lanterns and the War of Light, as the undead version of the Justice League tries to add Barry Allen and Hal Jordan to their ranks.  Johns and Reis hit this one out of the park, but I am on board with whatever they are doing at this point, it would seem.  Great fun seeing Ray Palmer once again as the Smartest Man In The Room (just like Slott has done with Hank Pym).  Question: Would Black Lantern Conduit have his power suit?

Outsiders #22 -- "The Hunt" continues as Metamorpho and Geo-Force shake down a small mining town in Wyoming for Clayface!  Tomasi and Pasarin turn in some Bronze Age-style awesomeness, continuing the trend started last issue of a "done in one" which has connective tissue to the other parts of the story.  I wish more ongoing comic books were of this style, because it is pretty much perfectly suited to the medium.  

Showcase Presents: Warlord v.1 -- I didn't read this yet, obviously, but I wanted to say OMG THIS BOOK IS GORGEOUS IN BLACK AND WHITE.

Warlord #6 -- I did get the new issue of the Warlord comic, though, and got to read it too!  The battle against the "golden god" has begun and not all of Morgan's allies may make it out of this fight alive!  Grell has re-set the stage for his epic S&S tale in enjoyable fashion with this arc, and Chad Hardin's work may not evoke Grell's pencils but his stuff still looks great.  About the only complaint I have is that there are a lot of characters to keep track of, and it cane be confusing as to who is where sometimes (where was Shakira at the beginning, for instance?), but that'sa quibble.

Tiny Titans #20 -- The truth, the HOLE truth, and nothing but the truth about Raven!  All I have to say about this comic is "AWW YEAH CRAYONS."

Wednesday Comics #11 -- Stories are starting to wrap up, but this awesome event keeps on trucking.  The highlight is no doubt Aquaman helping Hawkman fight a T Rex.

Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Anti-Venom #1 -- Eddie Brock used to be a monster, but people can change.  Sometimes.  Zeb Wells, who handled the writing chores on the very good Venom: Dark Origin miniseries last year, has a really good handle on Eddie Brock even under his new persona of Anti-Venom.   Paulo Siqueira's art is not cartoony like Angel Medina's was on that previous story, but it still suits the character and goings-on quite nicely.  (My only beef: Anti-Venom is drawn as being of medium build, like Spider-Man typically is, whereas the Eddie I know was a big, hulking dude.  But I don't mind it too much.)  The colors may be reversed, but this reads like an old Venom mini from back in the day, which is exactly what I want from it -- even down to having a guest star pop up.  Maybe this is the first of a series of miniseries for Anti-Venom?

Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars #1 -- In the wake of a tidal wave which has wiped out most of New York, Tony Stark has to make his way to his Manhattan lab and retreive a certain object -- but the Ghost has beaten him to it!  I am not a big fan of the Ultimate Universe -- in fact, I downright dislike it.  But I decided to give his mini by Warren Ellis and Steve Kurth a shot, and was pleasantly surprised.  U-Tony Stark is a very over the top sort of character, but his adventure looks promising enough for me to pick up the balance of the series.  Kurth's art is strong on armor and cityscapes, but not as good on faces and human anatomy -- but honestly, armor is more important here.

War Machine #9 -- It's War Machine and the old West Coast Avengers vs. Ultimo!  And if that isn't enough, Norman Osborn is thrown into the mix!  Pak's definitely got a story to tell here, and just when it seems everything has wrapped up, it pinballs into a new (but not illogical) direction.  It's a fun action story with plenty of carnage depicted pretty nicely by Allan Jefferson, who is well suited to this sort of action.  Plus: we get a cameo from Wonder Man.  Minus: He has no lines.

Re-Read Pile: Blackest Night, Outsiders, Warlord, although pretty much everything could have made the Re-Read Pile this week.

The Pick Of The Pile is Blackest Night, although the current storyline Outsiders is pretty much everything I want from comics.

So, what did YOU read this week?

Unbridled Capitalism: Charlotte Comic Con

This past Sunday I hit I-85 North to meet up with my Green Lantern-obsessed buddy Joe, who had snagged two free passes to Charlotte Comic Con.  Once we found the Crown Plaza (mostly because Google Earth gave us directions which involved a road which did not exist), we knew we were in the right location when we saw a TIE Fighter Pilot get out of his Chevy pickup truck.  Let the spending begin!

Iron Man -- I'm still hitting that pricing wall with my Iron Man collection, as I get closer and closer to completing the series.  I was able to add a trio of Bronze Age books for Shellhead, though, in the form of #127, 153, and 160.  Maybe if I end up at HeroesCon next year I can do better.

Hawkman -- Now, the Winged Wonder was much more plentiful!  Long have I bemoaned that I cannot find copies of Hawkworld, but I hit the motherlode in the Queen City!  I was able to get nearly the entire series, including issues #2-10, 14-21, 23, 25-26, and Annuals 1 and 2.  Still have not been able to find the miniseries, but still, that's a huge chunk of the series right there.  From the fourth volume, I was able to get a few more of the uncollected issues (#26 and 47), as well as a large chunk of the title after it changed over to Hawkgirl (#50-55, 57, 59-60, 62-63, and 65).  At this point I can probably pick up the remaining singles of the Hawkgirl era.  Representing the Silver Age, I got The Brave And The Bold #186, and sorta-representing the Silver Age, I found Legend of the Hawkman #1-3, and DC Comics Presents: Hawkman.  I still have not found much from Hawkman's backup runs in Detective and World's Finest, but I'm still very happy to find another big pile of Hawkcomics.

Furry Underpants -- Not much in the way of S&S comics, but I was able to add Kull v.3:no.4 and Arak, Son Of Thunder #38.

Outsiders -- Again, not much in the way of Outsiders, but the second volume of Outsiders apparently never sold all that well so it's slow going.  I picked up v.2:no.11-12.

Wonder Man -- The Ionic Powerhouse's solo series was pretty well represented, and I added #9, 11-12, 17, and Annuals 1 and 2.  A few weeks ago I found Marvel Two-In-One #78, so I will add that one as well.  

Other Stuff -- Not much, but a few things.  First off, I FINALLY found Avengers/JLA #4, so I can read that dang series now!  In similar news I picked up a random issue of Avengers (#358), from an era I don't have much of (that is, the 90s).  Finally, I also re-purchased one of my favorite comics from my youth, Spawn #10, writen by Dave Sim and featuring Cerebus.  (With a shout-out to the Image Addiction podcast over at The Comic Addiction.)

Left Behind -- A few things, but generally everything was so cheap that I didn't pass on much.  There was a few issue of Force Works which I left behind.  Part of me wants to get into that book, but part of me wants to just get more Avengers.  So we shall see.  A few dealers had some pricier issues of Iron Man, Detective, and World's Finest which I had to leave as well.

Overall, a great little show with lots of good dealers, and a lot of fun -- and the cosplayers were a nice touch.  Definitely worth the drive!