I'm finally back to work again! And very, very bored…*sigh*
Let’s see what we’ve got here…
DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN SKETCHBOOK
Pencils & Cover by JAE LEE
Free…otherwise I couldn’t really give a shit about this series…I haven’t read a Stephen King book in ten years, and never read any of these at all…
JOHN ROMITA JR. 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
Featuring An All-New Short Story Written by NEIL GAIMAN
Cover by JOHN ROMITA SR.
Thirty years ago, a young John Romita Jr. walked into the Marvel Comics offices, looking for work as an artist. Despite his impressive legacy as the son of famed Spider-Man artist John Romita Sr., Romita Jr. faced a difficult entry into the intensively competitive field. But through the years, Romita Jr. proved without a doubt he possessed the rare skill, creativity and dedication to be a successful professional. Crafting a historic career that places him among the industry’s elite talents, he has illustrated nearly every Marvel character – from Spider-Man to the X-Men. In celebration of Romita Jr.’s illustrious body of work, this keepsake edition features a brand new story written by Neil Gaiman, an all-new interview with the acclaimed artist, a gallery of his most memorable covers and pinups, rare sketches, a comprehensive chronology, testimonials and congratulations from fellow writers and artists, and more! Also including Romita Jr.’s first Marvel work from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #11!
JR Jr. is the shit man! At WizardWorld this summer, I had him draw Spider-Man on my arm and went and got it tattooed in later that night. It came out pretty fuckin’ cool…I think he was kinda creeped out by the whole thing though, for which I don’t blame him…I also got him to sign the Amazing Spider-Man Annual #11 and a bunch of other books too. I’m such a geek sometimes…
ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #37
Written by MIKE CAREY
Pencils & Cover by PASQUAL FERRY
“GOD WAR”
Am I the only one who doesn’t think Mike Carey is all that? I dunno…
ULTIMATE POWER #3 (of 9)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by GREG LAND
Love Bendis, but this series just doesn’t excite me…And I still can’t stand Greg Land’s art…
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #103
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & by Cover by MARK BAGLEY
“CLONE SAGA”
This has been a pretty cool storyline. I like that Bendis isn’t afraid to shake things up. Too bad that Bagley is leaving. He was there for so long that I just realized I’d been taking him for granted for a loooooooong time. I’d love to see JR Jr. do just one issue for the hell of it. I think it would be pretty cool…(I’ll be using that phrase quite a bit, so get over it…)
ULTIMATES 2 #13
Written by MARK MILLAR
Pencils & Wraparound Cover by BRYAN HITCH
“GRAND THEFT AMERICA”
Part 7 of 6…Will it never end?!?!?!?!
ULTIMATE X-MEN #77
Written by ROBERT KIRKMAN
Pencils & Cover by BEN OLIVER
“CABLE”
Meh. Not bad. Not great. Just there…
FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #15
Written by PETER DAVID
Pencils & Cover by SCOT EATON
Watch out, you latté-sipping, bookmark-bending, literary snob! Spider-Man and the Vulture are bringing a whole new meaning to the term “Battle of the Books” as they duke it out in a bookstore! And stuck right in the middle, dodging hardcovers, is poor Deborah Whitman, author of a memoir detailing her tumultuous relationship with Peter Parker. Whoever invented that old saying about words not hurting as much as sticks and stones obviously hasn’t lived a day in the webslinger’s boots!
Deb Whitman’s back! I remember her…
SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #33
Written by ROBERTO AGUIRRE-SACASA
Penciled by SEAN CHEN
Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
SPIDER-MAN UNMASKED Tie-In!
"WOUNDS "
Great to see Sean Chen, but Aguirre-Sacasa has gotta go…Geez…
AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #3
Written by TOM DEFALCO
Pencils & Cover by RON FRENZ
Still luvvin’ this book after all these years…
SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE #13
Written by SEAN MCKEEVER
Pencils by TAKESHI MIYAZAWA & RICK MAYS
Cover by TAKESHI MIYAZAWA
Another rufus fave. I met Takeshi Miyazawa at WW this summer and had him sign the original mini. Sounds like it would be a pretty gay book, but actually a lot of fun. Check it out if you haven’t yet…
SPIDER-MAN AND POWER PACK #2 (of 4)
Written by MARC SUMERAK
Pencils & Cover by GURIHIRU
Featuring the Amazing Spider-KID?!? Power Pack has a brand-new member... and he’s not too happy about his current situation! Will the Power kids be able to help Spidey find a way to get himself back to normal before all heck breaks loose? Or will Jack’s desire to get Power Pack some more attention on the super hero scene get them all trapped in a very tangled web?
So…how is this book affected by Civil War? Whose side are the power kids on? And is this the book that Wizard spotlighted with the kid who gives Peter Parker porn? Creepy shit…
SPIDER-MAN: REIGN #1 (OF 4)
Written by KAARE ANDREWS
Art & Cover by KAARE ANDREWS 50/50 Cover Split
A searing vision of Spider-Man’s future, brought to you by superstar Kaare Andrews (INCREDIBLE HULK).
They finally did it. Kicked them to the curb. The “capes and tights” crowd -- there’s no place for them in the Big Apple anymore. Peter Parker? He can’t even remember what it was like to don the red and blue and swing through the night sky. Doesn’t want to, anyway. After all, there’s nothing left to fight for, is there? That is until an old “friend” appears on Peter’s doorstep, bearing a package and a message -- and everything changes. If it’s not Peter’s responsibility, then whose is it?
Sometimes I like Kaare Andrews (most covers…), but otherwise I think he’s a poor man’s Darwyn Cooke…Loved his Hulk covers from a few years back though…
THE IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN #3
Written by ROBERT KIRKMAN
Pencils & Cover by PHIL HESTER
I haven’t seen the first issue of this book yet, but man it sounds like fun…
DOCTOR STRANGE: THE OATH #3 (OF 5)
Written by BRIAN K. VAUGHAN
Pencils & Cover by MARCOS MARTIN
Brian K Vaughn, Brian Bendis and Ed Brubaker. That’s all I need every month and I’d be happy…
BLACK PANTHER #23
Written by REGINALD HUDLIN
Penciled by TBD
Cover by MIKE DEODATO
CIVIL WAR TIE-IN
“FOREIGN AFFAIRS”
Part 1 (of 3)
Alarmed by the Civil War that’s rocking the U.S., T’Challa and Storm decide to get off the sidelines and get involved.
Whose side are they on?
Yeah, who fucking cares? Why are they still publishing this book?
BULLET POINTS #2 (of 5)
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art & Cover by TOMMY LEE EDWARDS
With military policeman Ben Parker killed during the assassination of Dr. Abraham Erskine (the developer of the Super Soldier serum), Peter Parker has become a disenchanted teen, angry at the world. After he wanders in front of the path of a gamma bomb test, how dangerous does the combination of a lonely, angry boy and the lethal power of a rampaging Hulk-ish monster become? Steve Rogers, the WWII hero known as Iron Man, is about to find out.
Hmmmm…JMS…Could be good (see Amazing Spider-Man pre-Sins Past) or could be pure crap (Post Sins Past Spidey, FF and Squadron Supreme. Should look pretty at least…
WINTER SOLDIER: WINTER KILLS ONE-SHOT
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Penciled by LEE WEEKS
Cover by STEVE EPTING
Again…Brubaker. ‘Nuff said!
CIVIL WAR: WAR CRIMES ONE-SHOT
Written By FRANK TIERI
Pencils by STAZ JOHNSON
Cover by SEAN SCOFFIELD
Should be called CIVIL WAR: CRAP FILLER ONE-SHOT…
DAREDEVIL #92
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Penciled by MICHAEL LARK
Cover by LEE BERMEJO
Brubaker’s stuff on DD has actually been better than the second half of Bendis’ run on this title. I love this shit…
FANTASTIC FOUR: THE END #3 (OF 6)
Written by ALAN DAVIS
Pencils & Cover by ALAN DAVIS
Yay! Alan Davis art! Boo! Alan Davis script…*sigh*
INCREDIBLE HULK #101
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by CARLO PAGULAYAN
Cover by LADRÖNN
PLANET HULK: ALLEGIANCE, PART 2
Started out as a pretty interesting concept, then went south quick…
IRON MAN/CAPTAIN AMERICA: CASUALTIES OF WAR ONE SHOT
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE
Penciled by JEREMY HAUN
Cover by JIM CHEUNG 50/50 Cover Split
I still remember this guy as the guy who wrote that Deadshot mini last year. One of the biggest turds I’ve read in years…It’ll take quite a bit to get the taste that shit out of my mouth…And how important could this book be in the whole Civil War shit anyways if it’s written and drawn by two guys most fans have never heard of and gets scheduled at the last minute to give the creators of the regular mini an extra month to catch up? No thanks…Probably end up going for twenty bucks on Ebay within two weeks…
MARVEL HOLIDAY SPECIAL
Written by MIKE CAREY, ROGER LANGRIDGE, SCOTT GRAY & SHAENON GARRITY
Penciled by MIKE PERKINS, ROGER LANGRIDGE & RON LIM
Cover by FRAZER IRVING
These are almost always crap, but It’s kinda hard to pass up the return of the Fin Fang Four by Roger Langridge…Probably my favorite comic of ’05…
MOON KNIGHT #8
Written by CHARLIE HUSTON
Pencils & Cover by DAVID FINCH
“MIDNIGHT SUN: PART TWO: THE DEAD DON’T STAY”
CASUALTIES OF WAR TIE-IN!
Okay Franta…I read the Essential Moon Knight last month, and I will back off my argument that Moon Knight is nothing but a rip-off of The Batman. He’s actually a rip-off of The Shadow. ‘Kay?
NEW AVENGERS: ILLUMINATI #1 (OF 5)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & BRIAN REED
Pencils & Cover by JIM CHEUNG
The Illuminati is a secret organization comprised of several of the world’s most powerful heroes: Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, King of the Inhumans, Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men and mutant rights activist, Reed Richards,founding member of the Fantastic Four, Namor the Sub-Mariner, King of Atlantis and Iron Man (Anthony Stark), founding member of the Avengers.
These six men have worked together to mold and shape the status of the superhuman world and the world around it.
How and what they have done together has remained a mystery...
UNTIL NOW...
Writers Brian Michael Bendis ( Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man) and Brian Reed ( Ms. Marvel) have joined together with Jim Cheung (Young Avengers) to reveal this untold story of the Marvel Universe and the Illuminati’s actions affect today!
I really want to like this book, because it’ by Bendis, has art by Jimmy Cheung and features concepts that I find really fascinating, but dammit! After reading Bendis and Reed’s Spider-Woman mini, I don’t know what to expect…Hopefully this will be much better…
newuniversal #1
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Penciled by SALVADOR LARROCA
Planet Earth. Inhabited by six billion people. People leading ordinary lives, coping with everyday struggles. But on a night like any other, the Earth is rocked by the most startling celestial event ever witnessed by the human race. The White Event. And from its wake, a handful of humans emerge as something more.
Acclaimed writer Warren Ellis (NEXTWAVE) and superstar artist Salvador Larroca (X-MEN) bring you this new universe — a universe witnessing superhuman power for the first time.
Could be really fun and cool, or could just be a steaming pile of crap…Hope it doesn’t take six months to find out which way this book is going…
NEXTWAVE: AGENTS OF H.A.T.E. #11
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Pencils and Cover by STUART IMMONEN
"NOT A CIVIL WAR TIE IN"
Started out as a fun book, but now is growing very stale very quickly…
MS. MARVEL #10
Written by BRIAN REED
Pencils & Cover by MIKE WIERINGO
Probably Marvel’s most standard super-hero book on the stands. Nothing particularly bad about it, but nothing that will set the world on it’s ear either…Guest art by Wieringo tells me that they’re trying to boost sales on this book, which doesn’t bode well for the future. I give it six more issues…
ONSLAUGHT REBORN #2 (of 5)
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & Cover by ROB LIEFELD
Variant Cover by Joe Madureira
Why, dear God? Why?!?!?!?!
SHE-HULK #14
Written by DAN SLOTT
Penciled by RICK BURCHETT
Cover by GREG HORN
I am sooooo gay for this book…
RUNAWAYS #23
Written by BRIAN VAUGHAN
Penciled by ADRIAN ALPHONA
Cover by JO CHEN
My least favorite of BKV’s books, and it still outshines most stuff on the stands every month. And Whedon? I didn’t see that one coming…
THUNDERBOLTS #109
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Pencils & Cover by TOM GRUMMETT
“Weight of the World”
Supposedly undergoing a radical revitalization, including a new writer (Warren Ellis or Mike Carey?) I still read this book, though I don’t exactly know why…I’m totally lost, but inertia keeps bringing me back…
WHAT IF? X-MEN DEADLY GENESIS
Written by DAVID HINE
Pencils & Cover by DAVID YARDIN
WHAT IF? X-MEN AGE OF APOCALYPSE
Written by RICK REMENDER
Penciled by DAVE WILKINS
Cover by MARKO DJURJEVIC
What If? Nobody cared anymore? How much you wanna bet David Hine’s ends up featuring Bishop and the character from Mutant Town somehow, just like Every. Stupid. Book. He’s. Written. Enough!
WONDER MAN #1 (of 5)
Written by PETER DAVID
Pencils & Cover by ANDREW CURRIE
“MY FAIR SUPER HERO”
Meet Lady Killer—the dangerous assassin who comes head-to-head with the Avenger called Wonder Man! But Wonder Man doesn’t want to just stop her—he’s made a bet with a movie producer to rehabilitate her into a hero! Is this too much for even the mighty Simon Williams? Fortunately, he’s got Ms. Marvel and X-Men’s Beast in his corner...
Could end up being really fun, or another steaming pile of crap (see Incredible Hulk or The Abomination.)
ASTONISHING X-MEN #20
Written by JOSS WHEDON
Pencils & Cover by JOHN CASSADAY (50/50 COVER SPLIT)
“UNSTOPPABLE”
Whedon’s scripting is some of the best in the business, but his plots have left something to be desired. Still some pretty decent stuff though…
EXILES #89
Written by TONY BEDARD
Pencils & Cover by JAMES CALAFIORE
“WALLFLOWER” Part 1 (of 1)
EXILES ANNUAL #1
Written by TONY BEDARD
Pencils & Cover by JIM CALAFIORE
What happened to Marvel Annuals being “special” stories? Sounds like it could have just been any other issue. And what’s the difference between James Calafiore and Jim Calafiore? Bedard’s stuff on this book has been pretty decent, but I still can’t wait til Claremont takes over…
NEW X-MEN #33
Written by CHRISTOPHER YOST
& CRAIG KYLE
Pencils & Cover by
PACO MEDINA
“MERCURY FALLING” Part 1 (OF 4)
This has been a pretty decent book, but I dropped it cuz I just didn’t really care…
UNCANNY X-MEN #481
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils & Cover by BILLY TAN
“THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SHI’AR EMPIRE”
Have I gushed enough about Brubaker today? Deadly Genesis is probably my favorite X-Men story since Paul Smith was the regular artist, and definitely the best non-Claremont story I’ve read. I hope Brubaker sticks around for a nice healthy run, but I have a feeling he’s gonna leave after his twelve issues is up…
WOLVERINE #49
Written by ROB WILLIAMS
Pencils & Cover by LAURENCE CAMPBELL
SPECIAL DOUBLE-SIZED XMAS SPECIAL: “BETTER TO GIVE...”
WOLVERINE: ORIGINS #9
Written by DANIEL WAY
Penciled by STEVE DILLON
Cover by JOE QUESADA
50/50 Cover by MARK TEXEIRA
“SAVIOR”, PART 4 OF 5
Yeah, I don’t care about either of these books. I was highly disappointed by Origins, including Dillon’s art. I had such high hopes for it too…The main book should get better next month with Loeb and Bianchi coming in though…
X-23: TARGET X #1 (OF 6)
Written by CRAIG KYLE & CHRISTOPHER YOST
Pencils & Cover by MIKE CHOI
Variant Cover by Marko Djurdjevic
Because you demanded it! Superstar Top Cow artist MIKE CHOI joins the team as X-23 returns, picking up the bloody pieces where her first mini-series left off. Having escaped the Facility that created her, X-23 struggles to create a real life for herself. But when your entire life has been about death and destruction, can you ever really escape the darkness? The rest of the story begins here, and won’t end until X-23 faces off with the one man most responsible for her life... WOLVERINE.
See New X-Men above…Although the preview art by Mike Choi looks really sharp.
X-FACTOR #14
Written by PETER DAVID
Pencils & Cover by PABLO RAIMONDI
This book is pretty fun. Peter David at the top of his game here…
X-MEN #194
Written by MIKE CAREY
Pencils & Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
“PRIMARY INFECTION” Part 1 (of 3)!
Who keeps giving Chris Bachalo work? Damn him, whoever he may be…
X-MEN: PHOENIX - WARSONG #4 (OF 6)
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by TYLER KIRKHAM
Cover by MARC SILVESTRI
Yeah…Again, I don’t care…
CRIMINAL #3
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Art by SEAN PHILLIPS
Brubaker and Phillips, together again. Two great tastes that go great together. If this book is half as good as their run on Sleeper was, I’ll be hooked.
MARVEL VISIONARIES: JOHN BUSCEMA HC
Written by STAN LEE, ROY THOMAS, GERRY CONWAY, MARV WOLFMAN, LEN WEIN, ROGER STERN, CHRIS CLAREMONT & OTHERS
Penciled by JOHN BUSCEMA
Cover by JOHN BUSCEMA
The Incredible Hulk, the devastating Dragon Man, the epic end of the gods themselves...none of it was too much for Big John! One of comicdom’s most acclaimed creators takes center stage in this genre-spanning gathering of greats! Nick Fury vs. Hydra! Thor vs. the Silver Surfer! The origins of Wolverine and Dracula! The twilight of the Masters of Evil! Includes crime, horror, romance and western work from the pre-Marvel era! Plus: rare Silver Surfer stories unseen for decades! Collects CRIME FIGHTERS #4; STRANGE TALES #22 & #150; TALES TO ASTONISH #85-87; AVENGERS #41-42, #75-76, #277 & ANNUAL #2; SILVER SURFER #4; MY LOVE #2; FANTASTIC FOUR #111-112; THOR #200; DRACULA LIVES #3; MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #30; WOLVERINE #10; and MARVEL SHADOWS & LIGHT #3.
I sometimes wonder what the hell these guys are thinking when they’re putting these books together I know that they try to showcase stuff from throughout a creator’s entire career, but sometimes the choices seem a little…odd. Too bad they couldn’t include any of the Conan or Tarzan stuff that Buscema did. This actually looks like one of the better volumes. Some of these have been pure crap (Steve Ditko’s.) I know they’re at odds with each other, but I would kill to see a John Byrne volume. Or Walt Simonson for that matter. How about Roger Stern? Or Jim Starlin? I’d say Frank Miller too, but just about everything he ever did for Marvel is still in print in HC…
ESSENTIAL OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE - UPDATE 89 VOL. 1 TPB
Written by PETER SANDERSON, PETER WOHL, MARCUS MCLAURIN, GLENN HERDLING & LEN KAMINSKI
Penciled by VARIOUS
Cover by RON FRENZ
Origins and updates of the eighties’ elite in one easy installment! Trace major revisions to major characters such as Archangel and Vision, the Red Skull and S.H.I.E.L.D., the Hulk and Hobgoblin – and who knows who else! Featuring the debut stats of Apocalypse, Sinister, Venom and more! Plus: Marvel’s first go-round of profiles for herodom’s best supporting casts! Collects OFFICAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNVIERSE - UPDATE ‘89 #1-8.
Great shitter material…
