The People’s Publisher

Lets kick start this week with Between the Staples Best Bang for March 19th Comics! Not a huge week and some surprises with the likes of The Incredible Hercules, Captain Marvel and Batman and The Outsiders. As Captain Marvel is one of the first few “Secret Invasion” tie in books, I am using his head this week for ranking. Best to worse, top to bottom, this week I got my addiction from Elfsar Comics & Toys plus a healthy second does from Hourglass Comics.

The Incredible Hercules #115 (Marvel) At first I thought to myself, this series is just a way to filler stories until the whole HULK situation would be resolved after World War Bunk or Red Bunk / Green Bunk but when I heard that Hercules is going to be leading a “God Squad” against the Skrulls in Secret Invasion, I was more interested in this issue - so I picked it up and what a surprise. Commonly I hate when Marvel makes punk ass kids who know too much more than the reader, are too smart for their own good and always come out on top. Sounds so unrealistic and boring in comparison to the nerd who got bitten by a radioactive spider and is trying to do his best. I hate Layla, not keen on the Richards kid and I had a real hard time with Amadeus Cho. This issue does a great job convincing me that maybe Marvel realized that these smart ass kids appeal is dying out. Add Ares, the God of War, into the mix and its all good fun!

Captain Marvel #4 of 5 (Marvel) I really enjoyed this issue and found that Brian Reed hit the mark with this title, enough that this issue during flip through got me to buy the back issues. I planned only to get this title in trade and even then it was a “kinda maybe” but now I am looking forward to seeing how these series, title and character all end up. Is he or isn’t he? It is a good tease to the upcoming SI.

Batman & The Outsiders #5 (DC) Chuck Dixon knows how to write a decent story. This was enjoyable, fun and great artwork that just made this issue a good deal of joy to flip through. One downside was the “appearance” of Ralph & Sue Dibny and how they just appeared at the end of the last issue and how they tied into this issue. It was kinda bittersweet but should have maybe had more of a visual cue and / or story cue rather than having the reader figure it out, given some readers like me are kinda stupid.

Captain America #36 (Marvel) Ed Brubaker just keeps this series feeling like your strung out and wanting more. Each issue is just enough of the wicked, messed up world fallen out from the death of Steve Rogers… or has he died? Was Steve ever really unfrozen or was that a Marvel urban myth? Is the Red Skull ready to start his deep plans which include Shannon and what seems like Steve Rogers under glass? Oh and yes, William S. reminded me that Red Skull still is prancing around in Steve’s body so the likely hood that Skully is the key behind the Skrulls is a definite possibility!

Death of the New Gods #7 of 8 (DC) The Killer is revealed and the end of the forth world has begun, now Grant Morrison, I mean DC Comics can usher in the new Fifth World with Batman as the new Highfather? Metron? Or hey, better yet — Darkseid! I finally understood why Superman of all the heroes would be the one to be apart of the storyline, the end of the forth World and coming of the fifth. Who else could… would… or should see this? Kudos to Jim Starlin for a great space story and gift wrapping for the coming Final Crisis.

Angel #5 (IDW) I enjoyed the coming together of the ‘Angel’ family from Conner, Spike, Gunn, Lorne, Fred/Illyria and Wesley, the “big fight” between Angel and the current Lords of Hell but what I did not like was how the entire issue ended with a tie into “First Night” a mini-series within a series and the current issue would not end until First Night is done. Blah. Dropped this down a notch out of the top 3 books ’cause I have to now wait through a mini-series within a series to see how this ends, I do not like that.

Justice League of America #19 (DC) The league confronts Waller and her “prison planet” where all the villains have been sent for Salvation Run mini series. Problem is that its not that simple to find where the villains went, throw in a Hawkman villain like Kanjar Ro with his bug eyes and its some good JLA fun! What I enjoyed is that at the end in which the JLA still did not know where the vilains and J’onn J’onzz are. This was a great way of leaving Salvation Run to run its own course!

DC Superfriends #1 (DC) Have no fear! The SUPER FRIENDS are here! Now as much as I am not a fan of the squished up action figure line, I do enjoy simple, fun kids books with heroes like The Super Friends / Justice League. I know this book is a mix of Mattel toys like Superman’s Flying Crane Ship and Batman’s Batwing but I did like seeing Professor Ivo and Amazo! Also the last page was nice to see to express what it takes to be a Super Friend. Be Kind! Show Respect! Help Out! Not as good as the old Super Friends comics (YES, I do have those) but its still fun and I think young kids would enjoy this title!

The Order #9 (Marvel) I picked up this title just to see how the series was going to go after The Namor issue (which I found very enjoyable after picking it up between weeks a while ago) but the story was not strong enough to show the weak indy art. As much as I want to hope that Javier Saltares would work out it is no comparison to Barry Kitson’s solid artwork. I enjoyed one thing which is the formula that Fraction used for all these issues - that was well done!

Countdown to Final Crisis #6 (DC) This book should be getting better with stories, artwork and climax but rather we are offered a side story by Cadmus lab rat, Buddy Blank, where the end of the DC world comes to earth and the rest of the universe via a new virus which is not told, mentioned or hinted at in ANY of the other books out this month (hopefully I will be mistaken) or this week. See I thought that was to be the difference with Countdown to 52, it would interact, react and be in a continuity with the rest of the DCU titles out. Nothing was farther from the truth this week which is one reason I have such a hard time with series.

Additional pick-ups:

Empowered Vol. 3 TPB (Dark Horse) I really like how Adam Warren does the bump & grind with this series, the characters are all messed up and the various bondage in this trade.

Spider-Woman: Origins TPB (Marvel) Hourglass Comics had a 30% off sale on trades so I picked this up. Brian Reed shows great writing and the Luma Brothers showed great storytelling but I also found The Luma Bros artwork to be great at times and others, I wondered if it was the right artwork for the book. Seems that some of the work went from great to very average looking. Very indy which I guess has its own charm, one I am not used to seeing until lately in Marvel and DC comics. Overall it was an decent series but did not tell me anything I already did not know about Spider-Woman. Now if she is a Skrull then would be very surprised and annoyed ’cause it would have perhaps meant that this series has been invalidated.

This Weds March 26th: All Star Superman #10, Green Lantern #29, Jack Kirbys Fourth World Omnibus vol 4 hc, Mighty Avengers #11, Ms Marvel #25 SI, New Avengers #39 SI (YES! FINALLY!), Secret History Authority Jack Hawksmoor #1 (of 6), Showcase presents Booster Gold vol 1 tp, and Teen Titans #57 to name a few.