RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Comic Books Reviewing Previews Oct. '06

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…

And now…To the DC side of things…Rather slim pickings, since I don’t really enjoy too many DC books these days…

BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #1
Written by Andy Diggle
Art and cover by Whilce Portacio
& Richard Friend
Learn where the Dark Knight first got “all those wonderful toys” as the superstar combo of writer Andy Diggle (ADAM STRANGE) and art team Whilce Portacio & Richard Friend (WETWORKS) go back to Batman's roots in a new monthly series! In this 6-issue tale, see exactly when Batman’s war on evil in Gotham City ramped up — and how he rose to meet the threat of Lex Luthor's plans to move in on both Bruce Wayne's and Batman's turf!

Correct me if I’m wrong here…Rotating creators telling stories from Batman’s early history. Isn’t that Legends of the Dark Knight?

BATMAN #660 & 661
Written by John Ostrander
Art by Tom Mandrake
Covers by Gregory Lauren

Ummmm…Fill-ins? Already? Hasn’t Kubert had like a year to work on this stuff? And wouldn’t this story also fit the bill as a LOTDK arc? Jeez…

DETECTIVE COMICS #826
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Don Kramer & Wayne Faucher
Cover by Simone Bianchi

This run has been…eh. OK I guess. Nothing great, but not terribly bad either. I’ve actually been kind of disappointed, having expected better from Dini…And fill-ins already? I guess if it means better quality for Lost I can accept it…

BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #213
Written by Matt Wayne
Art by Steven Cummings
Cover by Walter Simonson

Remember when this book used to be the crème de le crème of the Batman books? Guys like Denny O’neil, Grant Morrison, Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, James Robinson? Who the fuck are Matt Wayne and Steven Cummings? Jesus…

NIGHTWING #127
Written by Marv Wolfman
Art by Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
Cover by Ethan Van Sciver

I dropped this book like a hot potato after reading Bruce Jones’ first issue, but I’m glad that Marv Wolfman is back. He’s the only writer who “gets” Dick Grayson…Really looking forward to this stuff…

ALL STAR SUPERMAN #7
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Frank Quitely

I love the Quitely art, but I just don’t dig Grant Morrison…*sigh*

ACTION COMICS #846
Written by Geoff Johns & Richard Donner
Art and cover by Adam Kubert

SUPERMAN #659
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art by Rick Leonardi & Jesus Merino
Cover by Carlos Pacheco & Merino

I had a revelation not too long ago…I don’t really give a shit about Superman. I think it was about halfway through the Singer movie. I just don’t get into him. Is that un-American or what? Yeah, I’m checking these books out, but I don’t really feel the love here…

SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #2
Written by Darwyn Cooke
Art and cover by Tim Sale

It feels weird to see Tim Sale’s name with somebody else besides Jeph Loeb…

SUPERMAN/BATMAN #32
Written by Mark Verheiden
Art by Matthew Clark & Andy Lanning
Cover by Phil Jimenez

Again, not feeling the love here…

SUPERGIRL #13
Written by Joe Kelly
Art by Ian Churchill & Norm Rapmund
Cover by Ken Lashley

Have I ever told you how much I can’t stand Joe Kelly’s writing? Grrrrrrr…

52: WEEKS 31-34
Written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid
Breakdowns by Keith Giffen
Art by various
Backup features by Waid and various
Covers by J.G. Jones
The story of the year continues in four more chapters of America’s only weekly super-hero adventure!
WEEK 31: Art by Chris Batista & Ruy Jose. “Superman being out of the picture was the key. One of two keys, if you want to be cute about it.” Plus, The Origin of the Metal Men by Waid and Duncan Rouleau.
WEEK 32: Art by Patrick Olliffe & Drew Geraci. “You wished to be with her again. Come closer, I will show you how.” Plus, The Origin of Blue Beetle by Waid and Cully Hamner.
WEEK 33: Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning illustrate a special Christmas issue featuring more on the Batwoman! “I have brought my family here today…to show to you that underneath the powers of gods long dead…we are as human as the rest of you.” Plus, The Origin of Two-Face by Waid and Mark Chiarello.
WEEK 34: Art by Joe Bennett & Ruy Jose. It’s a deadly Countdown to the end of the year and the end of a life in the most heart-stopping cliffhanger yet! The New Year changes everything!

I’m not too sure about this book…I’ve only read the first dozen or so issues so far, but I’m not really seeing what the big deal is…One of my buddies swears that the book is getting better, which I certainly hope it is, but from what I’ve read so far, I just can’t get into it. I expect better from this group of creators…

THE ALL-NEW ATOM #6
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Eddy Barrows & Trevor Scott
Cover by Ladrönn

It just dawned on me…John Byrne doesn’t have a job these days, does he?

THE BLUE BEETLE #10
Written by Keith Giffen & John Rogers
Art and cover by Cully Hamner

I gave up on this one…It wasn’t really going anywhere…

CHECKMATE #9
Written by Greg Rucka
Art and cover by Jesus Saiz

I’m very, very disappointed by this book. I expect sooooo much better from Greg Rucka. This book has been incomprehensible. Buh-bye.

THE FLASH: FASTEST MAN ALIVE #7
Written by Danny Bilson & Paul DeMeo
Art by Ron Adrian and Rob Lea
Cover by Daniel Acuña

I’ve given up on this book too. After three issues, I still have no idea what the hell is going on and which guy is The Flash. Is it Jay or Bart? And why should I care?

DCU INFINITE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Written by Greg Rucka, Judd Winick, Bill Willingham,
Joe Kelly, Kelley Puckett, Keith Champagne
and Ian Boothby
Art by Joe Bennett, John Byrne, Jerry Ordway,
Ale Garza, Giuseppe Camuncoli and David Lopez.
Cover by Howard Porter
Time to celebrate the holidays with the greatest heroes and rising stars of the DCU! Join Superman, Supergirl, Batwoman, Shazam, Green Lantern, Flash and Shadowpact as they spread the joy of the new season in their own special ways.
This giant sized 80-page Special features stories by Greg Rucka, Judd Winick, Bill Willingham, Joe Kelly, Kelley Puckett, Keith Champagne and Ian Boothby and art by Joe Bennett, John Byrne, Jerry Ordway, Ale Garza, Giuseppe Camuncoli and David Lopez.

John Byrne sighting! This one sounds like it might be fun…Usually these are crap, but there is actually some decent creators involved in this one…

HAWKGIRL #59
Written by Walter Simonson
Art by Renato Arlem
Cover by Howard Chaykin

Yeah, I was pretty pumped up about this book when it first came out, but then…I read it…brrrrrrrrrr!

JONAH HEX #14
Written by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Art and cover by Jordi Bernet

Oh yeah, still lovin’ this book! As a matter of fact, it’s the only book I’ve read by Gray & Palmiotti that I’ve found even readable…

ION #9
Written by Ron Marz
Art by Greg Tocchini & Jay Leisten
Cover by Kalman Andrasofszky
Kyle confronts a major new DC threat that’s headed toward Earth! Meanwhile, someone very close to Kyle is dying.

Yes, my interest level in this book. Man, I loved Marz’s run on GL back in the day, but I read a few issues of this and realized I just don’t care anymore. Such a shame…

GREEN LANTERN #16
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Ivan Reis & Oclair Albert Cover by Ethan Van Sciver
Part 3 of “Wanted: Hal Jordan,” guest-starring Alan Scott, Green Arrow, Arsenal and more! On the run for murder, Hal Jordan must find the man who holds the key to his innocence: John Stewart. But what happens if John’s cover is blown?

One of the few OYL books that I’ve found is still readable (Teen Titans and Green Arrow are the other two…) Damn you DC!

CONNOR HAWKE: DRAGON’S BLOOD #2
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art and cover by Derec Donovan

Who keeps giving Chuck Dixon work?!?!?! Stop it!!!

GREEN ARROW #69
Written by Judd Winick
Art and cover by Scott McDaniel & Andy Owens
Batman shows up in Star City…unfortunately, the Red Hood isn’t far behind! And Speedy is the Hood’s target — is she another sidekick to be destroyed despite Batman’s best efforts?

I’m surprised that I like this book, considering it’s Winick and all…Hmmmmm…

JUSTICE #9
Written by Jim Krueger & Alex Ross
Art by Doug Braithwaite & Ross
Cover by Ross

I have no idea what the hell is going on in this book. Why am I still reading it? I used to love Jim Krueger (especially Foot Soldiers!) but now I find his stuff tedious and pretentious…It still looks pretty, but even Alex Ross doesn’t give the same woody he did ten years ago…

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #1
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Dale Eaglesham & Art Thibert
Cover by Alex Ross
Variant cover by Eaglesham
Get in on the ground floor as the world’s first and greatest super-team returns to usher in the DCU’s next age of heroes and villains! Writer Geoff Johns (52, Infinite Crisis), artists Dale Eaglesham (Villains United, Green Lantern) & Art Thibert (Outsiders, Superman) and cover artist Alex Ross (Kingdom Come, Justice) band together for the debut of the greatest incarnation of the super-team that inspired all the others.
Determined to rebuild the Justice Society, founding members Green Lantern, Flash and Wildcat initiate an unprecedented recruitment program, tracking the bloodlines of heroes across the world and bringing in the new Starman, Damage, Liberty Belle and more!
But just as the Society welcomes the rookies into their ranks, an evil force sets out to destroy them. Meet new legacies, solve a mystery stretching into the far future, witness the return of the world's greatest hero, and watch another one fall — all in the pages of this fantastic new series!
Retailers: This issue will feature two covers that may be ordered separately. The Standard Edition cover is by Alex Ross; one copy of the Variant Edition, with a cover by Dale Eaglesham, may be ordered for every 10 copies of the Standard Edition ordered.

This was a book in the past that I always kinda enjoyed, but never paid much attention to…until it was gone, at least. Now I realize it was actually a pretty decent book. What I don’t understand is…Why is the Eaglesham cover the variant? I know Ross is going to be the regular cover artist, but it seems like it would be the other way around…

JSA CLASSIFIED #20
Written by Scott Beatty
Art by Rags Morales & Michael Bair
Cover by Morales

JLA CLASSIFIED #30
Written by Howard Chaykin
Art and cover by Killian Plunkett & Tom Nguyen

Both of these Classified books seem to be just shit. Both series started off with major arcs by major creators, then they just fall off into oblivion…

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #5
Written by Brad Meltzer
Art by Ed Benes & Sandra Hope
Cover by Michael Turner
Variant cover by Arthur Adams

Alright! Finally, a JLA book I want to read…

MARTIAN MANHUNTER #5
Written by A.J. Lieberman
Art and cover by Al Barrionuevo & Bit
Cover by Barrionuevo

The Ostrander/Mandrake series from a few years back was one of my favorite books at the time, and MM has always been one of my favorite characters…But I don’t understand what the hell they’re trying to do here. Granted, I haven’t been reading the book, but from the small preview I read in that crappy Brave New World one-shot, I had no desire to pick this up. I look across the DC line and see a lot of books that ten years from now people will look back on and say…”What the fuck were they thinking…” Including all the books spun out of Brave New World…

MANHUNTER #26
Written by Marc Andreyko
Art by Javier Pina & Robin Riggs
Cover by Arthur Adams
Variant cover by Phil Jimenez

I really liked this book when it first started out, but rapidly started losing interest in it when the plots started getting more and more unbelievable. I was on the verge of dropping it when they originally cancelled it, and decided to stick around a few more issues to see where everything goes. If the book makes it past thirty, I probably won’t stick around unless something really good happens…

OUTSIDERS #43
Written by Judd Winick
Art by Ron Randall & Art Thibert
Cover by Matthew Clark

I gave up on this book too…What the hell is Judd Winick doing to these characters?!?!?!

SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #25
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Barry Kitson & Mick Gray
Cover by Kitson

I still pick this up out of inertia, even though I really don’t enjoy the new direction. I’ve been reading this book since Levitz and Giffen’s first run and I always have a hard time dropping a book that I’ve got such a long run on. I expect better from Waid. The sad part is, is that if Waid and Kitson had done this as a completely different book not affiliated with Legion, I’d probably enjoy it. Now I know how my dad felt when he always told me that rock music was never the same after Pet Sounds and Sgt Peppers came out…

THE SPIRIT #1
Written by Darwyn Cooke
Art by Cooke & J. Bone
Cover by Cooke
Acclaimed writer/artist Darwyn Cooke (DC: THE NEW FRONTIER) sets his sights on Will Eisner’s classic hero The Spirit in this all-new monthly series that maintains the “spirit” of Eisner’s creation while bringing a new sensibility to the character. The Spirit, a.k.a. Denny Colt, joins Commissioner Dolan and his daughter Ellen in this go-for-broke, shoot-the-lights-out crime story!
When ace television reporter Ginger Coffee is abducted by a crimelord she was about to run an exposé on, The Spirit is called in to investigate. Finding her is tough enough, but getting out alive is a whole other matter!
Don’t miss the first exciting issue, filled with action, adventure, humor and sexy girls!

I’m torn on this book. I love Eisner’s Spirit stuff, especially the post WWII stories, but I’m afraid of what DC is going to end up doing with this. Their track record with revamps lately has been pretty abysmal (See Flash, OMAC, Atom, Shazam, Creeper, Legion, Martian Manhunter etc.) I know this is a little bit different, but I’m still a little uncomfortable…Plus, I don’t know what to think of Darwyn Cooke. I loved Batman: Ego, but absolutely could not stand New Frontier. Tried reading it twice, never made it more than halfway through the first issue. I have high hopes for this book, and I think it’ll be okay, but there’s this little voice in the back of my head that is saying “They’ll fuck it up!”

SHADOWPACT #8
Written by Bill Willingham
Art and cover by Shawn McManus

Loved the mini, but haven’t been digging the ongoing. It’s gone…

WONDER WOMAN #4
Written by Allan Heinberg
Art and cover by Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson

I loved the first issue of this series, along with pretty much everything that Heinberg has written so far, so I’m kinda bummed he’s only gonna be around for five issues. Of course, I guess that means that Young Avengers will be back soon! Yay!

TEEN TITANS #42
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Peter Snejbjerg

One of the few DC books I enjoy now more than before OYL. Plus, I’ve always thought that Pter Snejbjerg was an under-rated artist…

TRANQUILITY #1
Written by Gail Simone
Art and cover by Neil Googe

THE AUTHORITY #2
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Gene Ha

GEN13 #3
Written by Gail Simone
Art and cover by Talent Caldwell & Matt “Batt” Banning

STORMWATCH: PHD #2
Written by Christos N. Gage
Art and cover by Doug Mahnke

MIDNIGHTER #2
Written by Garth Ennis
Art and cover by Chris Sprouse & Karl Story

WETWORKS #4
Written by Mike Carey
Art and cover by Whilce Portacio & Richard Friend

Yeah, I don’t care about any of these books…Except for maybe Midnighter. That book might be interesting, but the rest sound like “Been there, done that” shit…

THE BOYS #6
Written by Garth Ennis
Art and cover by Darick Robertson

Goddamn this book. People keep saying that it’s the book that’s gonna “out-Preacher” Preacher, but most people just don’t get it. It wasn’t all the fucked up humor and gross-out shit that made Preacher unique. It was the characterization of Jesse, Tulip and Cassiday that made people want to read that book. I think even Garth Ennis has forgotten that. It’s a damn shame…Anybody can be extreme and over the top, but not many can actually make the readers care about the characters. Seems like Garth Ennis has lost his way…

A MAN CALLED KEV #5
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Carlos Ezquerra
Cover by Glenn Fabry

See above…

EX MACHINA #26
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Tony Harris & Tom Feister

I’m gay for Brian K Vaughan…

100 BULLETS #79
Written by Brian Azzarello
Art by Eduardo Risso
Cover by Dave Johnson

Yeah, It took me five years, but I’ve finally just given up the ghost on this book…

FABLES #56
Written by Bill Willingham Cover by James Jean
Art by Mark Buckingham & Steve Leialoha

JACK OF FABLES #6
Written by Bill Willingham & Matthew Sturges
Art by Steve Leialoha
Cover by James Jean

Yeah, I love these books. And the best part about it? Unlike Most Vertigo books like Sandman, Preacher or Y: The Last Man, it’s set up so that it’s continuing as long as Willingham wants to do it. As long as the quality is there, I’ll keep reading it…

Y: THE LAST MAN #52
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Pia Guerra & Jose Marzan Jr.
Cover by Massimo Carnevale

I’ll be sad to see this book go, but glad to see everything wrapped up and all questions answered. Fair trade-off, I guess…

Let’s see, final tally for DC…24 books from main DC, many of which are new series I’m giving a shot at, and a couple of specials…, 4 from Wildstorm and three Vertigo books…

I’m kinda curious, let me tally this up here.

DC books I buy and actually read regularly, although sometimes I wonder why…

Detective, Action, Superman, Batman/Superman, 52 (4 issues this month), Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Jonah Hex, JLA, JSA, Manhunter, Supergirl & Legion, Wonder Woman & Teen Titans. That’s seventeen books total (fourteen actual series), which would be eighteen if Batman weren’t a fill-in…

Mini’s and books that I’m checking out, but either on the fence on or don’t expect to keep getting it…

Batman Confidential, Superman Confidential, Nightwing, All-Star Superman, DC Christmas issue, Justice and The Spirit. No All-Star Batman this month though…and I don’t remember seeing Trials of Shazam either…

And of course, DC books I’ve give up over the past year or so…

Supergirl, Atom, Aquaman, Blue Beetle, Checkmate, Flash, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern Corp, Ion, JSA Classified, JLA Classified, Outsiders, ShadowPact, Uncle Sam, plus a bunch of other books that have been cancelled or changed around dramatically…

OYL has done quite the job on my reading habits…

A couple of other thing’s I noticed while digging through Previews…

Spawn/Batman from Image.

Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo. If Toddy is drawing it, I’ll check it out. If he’s only writing it, I won’t waste my money. I know a lot of people dis the one that he did with Frank Miller ten years ago, but to this day, it still stands as one of my favorite Batman stories. Frank Miller wrote Batman exactly as I always imagined him. While the two main characters are tussling, Miller doesn’t have him babbling on and explaining himself with every punch and kick. Batman is shown as any other street fighter would be. Grunting, calling Spawn a punk and basically just embarrassing the fuck out of him. No bullshit, dead-on perfect characterization. I loved it! The DC one that Klaus Janson drew blew chunks though…Who wrote that? Was it Chuck Dixon maybe?

Invincible has an Omnibus edition coming out. Jesus. TPB’s, HC’s and now an Omnibus. I know their goal is to make money, but it’s frustrating to see creators keep trying to milk money out of fans…

Knights of the Dinner Table. Don’t recall if I’ve mentioned this book before, but it’s another one of my favorites. Crudely drawn pictures of talking heads, but hilarious none the less. I’ve never been a gamer, don’t know half the technical terms they’re talking about, but I still love this book. Even some of the crap in the back of the book, which is all gaming related crap, is still interesting. Well not really, but it doesn’t really matter…

I have heard good things about Justice Society; I want to check this book out! Longtime JSA fan here.

Once again,Rufie does a great review!! You do gotta wonder about stuff that DC is putting out these days.I'm a big DC fan but I dunno what they're thinking with some of these new books.So far Green Lantern & GLCorps are my must-reads from DC.

Yeah, allan...I feel the same way. I still buy a lot of DC to continue certain runs or because I like certain characters but, I most look forward to the Marvel books I get.

I just don't feel the "wonder" for the new titles after this Crisis like I did after the original one.Justice League is pretty decent & Justice Society looks pretty sweet too,but titles like Flash,Martian Manhunter & Atom are just "meh" so far.WOnder Woman is good but it's bi-monthly so I gotta wait for that one.I am hoping that Action Comics kicks in pretty good with Richard Donner.I do have to give it to Marvel so far as to the best reads.