BIG week of comics coming up on Wednesday as we move into the middle of November. Take a look and share what you will be buying.

The Essentials

FABLES #90

Blog readers know by now how much I love Fables, so I won’t ramble too much. Suffice to say, this is the penultimate chapter of “Witches,” and it should be exciting. The battle for supremacy on the 13th floor is on. My take? I would never bet against Frau Totenkinder.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #6

The conclusion to “Revenge of the Red Hood” will feature, according to DC’s solit, the Red Hood revealing his identity, which is weird, since we seemed to already get that last issue. Regardless, this has been a mostly good book, and you get the feeling that it’s on the verge of something huge (for one, Dan Didio promised months ago that issue #7 — which doesn’t come out until January — was of massive importance to the DC Universe), so try it now before you feel left out.

RED ROBIN #6

With all due respect to Grant Morrison and Batman and Robin or Tony Daniel and Batman, this is the best Bat-book on the market. It started well and has solidified it’s place with every new issue, to the point where I am now calling this a near must-buy. Part 2 of “Council of Spiders” brings in new artist Marcus To. I know nothing about him, but I’m hopeful he’s better than outgoing artist Ramon Bachs, whom I thought was the one weakness on the book in the first five issues.

Should Buy

BATMAN #693

Tony Daniel’s second issue as writer and artist on the book comes out just two weeks after his debut. If you read my review of his first issue, you know it was not without its flaws. However, the art is just gorgeous, and his overall plot ideas are promising, so you really ought to give it a shot and see if he can take the book somewhere good.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #42

As I also mentioned in my latest reviews, the main plot developments in Blackest Night have recently been taking place more in Green Lantern than in the main miniseries. I think that might start spreading more into Green Lantern Corps, as well, particularly if what appeared to be a major death last issue is in fact for real.

CINDERELLA: FROM FABLETOWN WITH LOVE #1 (of 6)

This is a holdover from last week that I missed. This miniseries spinoff from Fables is actually not written by main scribe Bill Willingham, or even Willingham’s co-writer from Jack of Fables, Matt Sturges; if it were, this would be an Essential. However, the writer, Chris Roberson, has apparently helped contribute ideas before to JoF, and it has Willingham as a “consultant.” Plus, Cindy is a good character who doesn’t get a lot of attention in Fables, so it’ll be nice to see her in the spotlight.

STRANGE #1 (of 4)

This miniseries about the former Sorceror Supreme might seem pretty missable at first — after all, I’m among those who was none too crazy about him losing the top magician spot (even though I do like his successor, Brother Voodoo). However, it’s written by Mark Waid, and that’s pretty much an easy ticket to get me to buy just about anything. If the SHS variant is available, all the better.

Others to consider

BATGIRL #4

I read the first arc of this title and found it pretty good. However, it didn’t quite raise to the level of greatness that makes you want to keep buying. I’m going to pass, but if you’re a fan of Stephanie (formerly Spoiler) or Barbara Gordon, this might be for you.

BOOSTER GOLD #26

I’ve never bought this book, but Spiffy was a fan back before he stopped reading comics. What’s eye-catching about this issue is that it starts a two-part Blackest Night tie-in story with, as you could probably guess, the original Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, coming back as a Black Lantern and fighting Booster and the new Blue Beetle. Ted and Booster had one of the great friendships in comicdom, and I hate that Ted is dead. But he is, and his “return” could make for a good story. I could go either way, but I might pick this one up.

AMAZING SPIDER-Man #611

I bring this up just to illustrate that Deadpool is everywhere these days. I have no idea where this massive explosion in popularity came from, but he’s getting the Wolverine treatment all of a sudden. Marvel’s solit for this issue is pretty clever, and it is written by Joe Kelly, perhaps the most acclaimed Deadpool writer ever. With Deadpool and Spider-Man together, this might be worth it for the banter alone. However, I’m still not sure whether I’ll pick this up or not. I’m just feeling a little overexposed to Wade these days.

BLACK PANTHER #10

This sounds like a fairly epic issue, and I did become a huge Black Panther fan in the Christopher Priest days, so my instincts make me want to try it. However, I would probably be lost at this point, and I don’t know whether Jonathan Maberry, whom I’ve never heard of, can deliver the quality I got used to from Priest.

CABLE #20

It seems like every time I look at a solit for this title, it’s about Cable vs. Bishop. That does indeed sound awesome, but I wonder whether it gets old with month after month of that concept? Not sure, because I still haven’t tried the book. I still might, if I see a good jumping-on point.

DAREDEVIL #502

I’ll admit this sounds pretty good, but I just got tired of DD back in the Bendis days. Hopefully some Daredevil fan will come tell me why I’m foolish for not jumping on board.

X-FORCE #21

“X-Necrosha” continues, but I wonder how many people are even noticing Marvel’s version of Blackest Night. Our own Lia is one of them. Will she review this issue?! Stay tuned.

S.W.O.R.D. #1

Remember Agent Brand from Joss Whedon’s great Astonishing X-Men run? Apparently, she needed her own series. I thought at first this must be a miniseries, but it looks like it’s a regular ongoing. Beast is there, so that’s something, I guess. So is Henry Gyrich, Marvel’s frequently used symbol for annoying government bureaucracy. This time, Gyrich takes over S.W.O.R.D. Someone seriously needs to count up how many jobs Gyrich has had over the years. It’s a lot. Screw Brand and even Beast; give Gyrich his own series.

DARK X-MEN #1 (of 5)

As I was reading Marvel’s solit for this new miniseries, nothing about it was catching my eye as something I should buy. More Dark Reign, a writer I’ve never heard of – it looked like an easy miss. Then, right near the end, they got me with this sentence: “But what does Nate Grey, A.K.A. X-MAN, have to do with it?” It’s been been about eight years since we last saw Nate, as he seemingly died in the last issue of his book (X-Man #75). I was a pretty big fan, and if he really is coming back, I can’t help but check this out.

X-BABIES #2 (of 4)

Don’t look at me like that. You know you want to buy this.

Well gang, this is it. After nearly two years of Grointasticness and sporadic updates, it’s time to finally put Goki’s Giving Groin back where it belongs:

In my pants.

Fear not, dear readers! This is NOT the end of the blog. However, this IS the beginning of the much-heralded changes to our lovely Inter-home. We begin with a name change: Goki’s Giving Groin will from this day forward be known as…

EAT MORE COMICS.

Delicious, isn’t it? Don’t worry, we’re still going to cover non-comic book related topics, as well. Yet if you look at the blog’s output, you’ll see that we’ve clearly talked about comics more than anything else. Not to mention that our old name probably isn’t too SFW. So now you can surf our blog without worrying about getting fired! Or sent to detention, for all you young scholars out there.

But wait! There’s more! In addition to changing our name, we are also starting… a message board! This’ll allow us to cover more topics at once, as well as increase interactivity with our readership (and each other). More importantly, it will allow you, the reader, the chance to come up with topics of your own. Can you feel the power?! Just don’t get carried away; we’d still be in charge, after all

Expect the blog and the message board to have a symbiotic relationship (or symbiosis, if you prefer). We’ll link to popular message board topics on the blog and vice versa, and if we want to cover a message board topic in more depth, we’ll probably post on the blog. That said, expect blog posts and message board posts to be any length; we’re not letting format dictate how long our posts are going to be.

We’ll be posting the link to the message board some time this week, so stay tuned and save your appetites!

Batman #692

Blackest Night #4 (of 8 )

Captain America: Reborn #4 (of 5)

Dark Reign: The List — Wolverine #1

Green Lantern #47

Jack of Fables #39

Justice Society of America #32

The Torch #3 (of 8 )

X-Factor #50

Only Captain America and The Torch were new this week; the others are from Oct. 28. Maybe a good thing I got both weeks at once, or it would be a small list.

Dave’s Spotlight of the Week(s): X-Factor #50

X-Factor #50

Written by Peter David.

Art by Valentine de Landro, inked by Pat Davidson and Craig Yeung; cover by David Yardin with Nathan Fairbairn.

RATING: 5/5

Since 1981, when Chris Claremont and John Byrne introduced the readers of Uncanny X-Men to the “Days of Future Past,” the books of Marvel’s Mightiest Mutants have thrived on taking looks into dystopian futures and alternate realities. Over the past year, X-Factor has given us a story to rival any X-Dystopia, as Peter David has taken his readers back into “the Summers Rebellion.” David has interwoven the future and the present beautifully to tell a tale with profound impact on both times. But whereas many flash-forward stories, such as “Age of Apocalypse,” were defined by their epic scope, X-Factor  has succeeded with the personal touch of strong characterization. Yes, there’s the typical struggle to survive in a world gone wrong, but the heart of the story is more about people and relationships — Jamie and Layla, Ruby and Fitzroy, a senile but still evil Doctor Doom. And it was the strength of those characters that built the storyline’s conclusion into such a remarkable issue.

Everything comes to a head in this issue. It’s a story about combatting the evil within, about the inevitability of fate. And in the end, it’s a story that shows thing rarely change, no matter how hard you try to make them, or how much you wish you could let them. David’s narration, through Madrox and Layla, maintains the human element even in critical moments of intense action. De Landro, whom I’ve never been a huge fan of, delivers some of his best art on the series. I still think he could do more with his facial expression and more thoroughly develop the background art, but I’ll settle for the solid, clean pencils he gave this issue.

X-Factor has already been one of the best books of the market for a while, and this issue further cemented its status as a must-buy book. The book now takes November off before returning in December with new numbering, paying homage to the old X-Factor run by jumping to #200. We got an extended preview of #200 at the end of this issue, and aside from not understanding why Guido is black, I thought it was great. If you haven’t tried the book yet, definitely be there in December.

Quick Hits: The Rest of the Week(s)

The Torch #3 (of 8 )

The Torch #3 (of 8 )

Story by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Mike Carey; script by Mike Carey.

Art by Patrick Berkenkotter; cover by Alex Ross.

RATING: 5/5

In a year that has seen the launch of Blackest Night, Captain America: Reborn, Flash: Rebirth, and The Marvels Project, and that saw the conclusion of Final Crisis, Secret Invasion, and Battle for the Cowl, among others, The Torch looks like it might shape up to be the best miniseries of them all. Only three issue in, Carey & Co. have already delivered a spectacular story that somehow just keeps getting better. The way the Mad Thinker is being written, you wonder why he hasn’t been an elite villain all these years. The way Toro is being written, you wonder how he could be left dead all those years. The way Berkenkotter’s art looks, you wonder why you’ve never heard of him. His stuff has a Steve Epting feel to it, with a lighter, more expressive tint. Yet perhaps the most impressive thing is the quick tempo at which the plot is moving along. I can’t help but wonder what devlopments will be introduced to get this mini through eight issues, given how much has already happened. But with Namor coming into the fray, I’m more excited than ever to see where this goes. Great stuff.

Green Lantern #47

Green Lantern #47

Written by Geoff Johns.

Art and cover by Doug Mahnke, inked by Christian Almy and Tom Nguyen.

RATING: 4.5/5

As Blackest Night continues, many of the meatier story developments are happening not in the main miniseries, but in Green Lantern. This week is a good example of that. The war of light is in full swing as Hal, Sinestro, Carol, and Indigo face off against one of the more interesting Black Lanterns yet, Abin Sur, as well as Sur’s Black Lantern sister, who was once the love of Sinestro’s life. We also get developments from the Blue Lanterns, Orange Lanterns, and Red Lanterns, where Atrocitus rages against the darkness closing in on him. It’s a great issue, giving the high-octane action that has defined the crossover while still pausing to give a taste of the battle’s emotional impact. Mahnke’s art is truly impressive; I’m amazed by how much he has improved over the past six or seven years.

Blackest Night #4 (of 8 )

Blackest Night #4 (of 8 )

Written by Geoff Johns.

Art and cover by Ivan Reis, inked by Oclair Albert and Joe Prado.

RATING: 4/5

In a crossover with Green Lantern at its core, this issue is owned by Flash. Barry Allen is at his heroic best, rallying the troops and inspiring even his fellow heroes. His speech to Atom and Mera was perhaps the highlight of the issue. The violence of the Black Lanterns continues, graphic and unrelenting. Another hero falls. Ivan Reis’ art captures the scope of the battles while maintaining the integrity of each character’s reactions. In a week of several issues with good to great art, Reis and Tony Daniel (Batman) stand out as truly outstanding. My only criticism is that the main miniseries is dwelling heavily on the same type of events every issue: The dead are rising and overwhelming the living, who struggle with the emotions of the Black Lanterns’ resurrections while struggling even more just to survive. It’s quite good still, but that element of the premise is starting to run its course and become repetitive. What I thought would be more at the core of the crossover, the so-called “War of Light,” is really happening more in Green Lantern at this point (see above). Still, I’m thoroughly hooked, so we’ll see where Johns goes from here.

Justice Society of America #32

Justice Society of America #32

Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges.

Art and cover by Jesus Merino.

RATING: 4/5

The fourth of five parts to “The Bad Seed,” the first storyline of the new creative team of Willingham, Sturges, and Merino. While the last issue might have been a little better, this was still a very good effort that sets up perfectly for what should be a great conclusion next month. Willingham and Sturges have done a nice job of sowing the seeds of doubt within DC’s oldest superhero team, creating a dynamic of unease that has rarely been seen in the JSA. At the same time, the creative team is maintaining the elements that have always characterized the Justice Society; the big three (Jay, Alan, and Ted) all have good moments. It’s very enjoyable. I would like to see a couple bigger names in the group of attacking villains, but I suppose that’s part of the charm. Merino looks well on his way to superstar status, with a style like Alan Davis or a less polished Jim Lee. This creative team is in for a great run.

Jack of Fables #39

Jack of Fables #39

Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges.

Art by Rus Braun, inked by Jose Marzan Jr. and Andrew Pepoy; cover by Brian Bolland.

RATING: 3.5/5

Part 3 of 4 of “The New Adventures of Jack and Jack.” I mistakenly believed this was the storyline’s conclusion, but what it actually is another very good issue from everyone’s (= my) favorite writing duo, Willingham and Sturges. The only comic book that combines fantasy and postmodernism, JoF is a welcome breakthrough in creativity. I look forward to the real conclusion next month.

Captain America: Reborn #4 (of 5)

Captain America: Reborn #4 (of 5)

Written by Ed Brubaker.

Art and cover by Bryan Hitch and Butch Guice.

RATING: 3/5

Much like Flash: Rebirth, this back-from-the-dead miniseries seems to be taking a long, long time. I don’t even know whether there have been delays or the plot is just moving slowly, but I feel like I could have missed the first three issues and not been lost at all. However, there is a lot to like in this issue, particularly the Doom/Skull/Zola banter. There’s also Hitch’s art — he might not be the faster artist, but once it’s done, he’s damn good. And given the ending, it looks like we’re finally on the edge of a plot breakthrough (well, we better be, with only one issue left).

Batman #692

Batman #692

Writing, art, and cover by Tony Daniel, inks by Sandu Florea.

RATING: 3/5

Tony Daniel takes over as the writer and artist for Batman, and it’s a nice start. His art is an unequivocal success, as expected. His art can be dark, expressive, or pin-up worthy; he really is as good as it gets in the industry. His writing is a mixed bag. The plot is quite solid. Daniel gives a nice line-up of villains, particularly the Black Mask. I like the idea of Black Mask becoming a main arch-enemy of Batman; the Joker needs to be saved from overuse, and Black Mask can give a rare scheming matchup for Bats, instead of the pure lunacy he often faces. The downside to Daniel’s writing is the dialogue, which is mediocre at best. Maybe he’ll improve, but I think he could benefit from a co-writer. Regardless, there’s easily more good than bad in this issue, and I’ll keep with the book for at least a while.

Dark Reign: The List -- Wolverine #1 (of 1)

Dark Reign: The List — Wolverine #1

Written by Jason Aaron.

Art by Esad Ribic, inked by Tom Palmer; cover by Esad Ribic.

RATING: 3/5

The latest one-shot in Marvel’s The List series is a solid effort from Aaron and Ribic. This one-shot is a bit different from some of the others I’ve read in the List series, as Norman Osborn isn’t actually going after Wolverine himself at all, but instead is making a power play on The World (the Weapon Plus headquarters introduced in Grant Morrison’s New X-Men run), and Wolvy, Fantomex, and Marvel Boy try to stop him. There’s really no particular flaw in the issue, it just doesn’t rise to any level of greatness. Still, it’s an enjoyable read, as Fantomex and Marvel Boy are both well-written and entertaining. Ribic’s art is nothing special, but it gets the job done.

… to the big changes I spoke of, as life has recently been trying to run me over with a steamroller. Yet fear not, dear readers, for I shall unveil these changes this weekend at the earliest and Wednesday at the latest. In the meantime, check out some of the great content David’s been posting up lately:

• David asks for your next PROJECTS suggestions
• David tells you what to buy this week (for he is The David, and we shall all do as he commands)
• David reviews last week’s comics (for he is The David, and thus can turn back time)

So click on those links… or just scroll down.

The month is almost over, buy will the final week of new comics in October be a trick or treat? Wow, what a lame intro. But seriously, after last week was weak sauce, this week looks outstanding. Better get to the comic book shop tomorrow, you won’t want to miss these books.

The Essentials

Blackest Night #4 (of 8 )

The year’s biggest event hits its half-way mark. So far, Blackest Night has lived up to the hype for me, so I’m pretty excited. Geoff Johns is a mastermind, and Ivan Reis is as good as any artist in the industry right now.

Green Lantern #47

Get another dose of Blackest Night this week. Some of the BN tie-ins have missed the mark, as happens with any crossover, but the core title, Green Lantern, seems to never disappoint. With Reis temporarily off the book to draw the main BN mini, Doug Mahnke is filling in admirably; his art has improved significantly since he did JLA with Joe Kelly several years ago.

X-Factor #50

Fans of the blog may know I’m slightly obsessed with Peter David, one of the best writers of the past 20+ years. My fanship is for good reason, as X-Factor proves month after month. The “Summers Rebellion” story has been great, and the conclusion in this landmark issue should be orgasmic. Get pumped!

Should Buy

Jack of Fables #39

This is almost an “Essential,” but I can admit this book might not be for everyone. For me, though, it’s awesome. Willingham and Sturges provide a more light-hearted take in this Fables spin-off, combining adventure with comedy in a book that is purposefully postmodern as it satirizes traditional concepts of stories. This issue concludes a three-part story, and looks to provide a possible new direction for the title character, maybe even changing who the title refers to.

Justice Society of America #32

Another helping from the great writing team of Willingham and Sturges this week. I really should have this is the “Essential” category, but I forgot while writing that section and am too lazy to copy and paste it up there. Anywho, W&S are still early in their run on JSA, so if you haven’t tried it yet, you really, really should pick this up. Last month’s cliffhanger was huge, and one look at this issue’s cover should tell you there are some big developments going down. If you’ve never read Fables or Jack of Fables and feel like you can’t start on either now, then get this run while it’s still early and experience the genius of Bill Willingham.

Others to consider

Batman #692

Tony Daniel begins his run as writer and artist of the main Bat book. I’m a huge fan of his art; he’s one of the best in the biz. The only reason I’m not recommending this more emphatically is because I have no clue how his writing is. He did write Battle for the Cowl, so ask someone who read that. I’ll be getting this; the current Batman dynamic is pretty good.

Arkham Reborn #1 (of 3)

The recently destroyed Arkham Asylum is rebuilt in this miniseries, but some things never change: namely, Arkham is still going to be a madhouse in every sense of the word — an instrument that furthers crime’s future more than preventing it. Could be fun, but I think I’ll pass.

Blackest Night: Titans #3 (of 3)

Blackest Night: Batman and Superman wrapped up earlier this month, and Titans become the last of the first wave of limited series tie-ins to conclude. The first issue was very good, the second one a little repetitive. I’ll go ahead and buy this to see how it wraps up.

Dark Avengers: Ares #1 (of 3)

Big week for Dark Reign, starting with this limited series spotlighting the Dark Avengers’ second-biggest gun, Ares. I find him an intriguing character, and can remember reading a story from back when he was a rarely used villain. THis limited will apparently show him trying to regain his spot in the Pantheon, which could be good. Never heard of the writer, Kieron Gillen, though. We’ll see; could be an impulse buy, but it’s also a big week.

Dark Reign: The List — Punisher

The List continues as Norman Osborn now goes after the Punisher. Could be fun to watch Frank kill some of Norman’s lackeys, but I’m just not that into Punisher. I’ll pass.

Dark Reign: The List — Wolverine

This List one-shot I’m a bit more interested in. I get a little tired of new “Weapon [number]” characters being introduced, but it has Wolvy and Fantomex together, which I like. Also, Marvel Boy finally comes back, after deserting the Dark Avengers several issues ago, and I’ve been wanting to see what role he’ll pay. I’m leaning toward getting this.

New Avengers #58

I have absoutely no intention of getting this; I just wanted to point out that this book has become more about the Hood than the Avengers. He’s not that good of a villain, and writing him into every story isn’t going to make him one.

X-Necrosha

This one-shot is intriguing, but bad timing. Apparently the dead are rising as zombies (via Selene?), but in case you haven’t heard, DC is kind of dominating the whole “The Dead Shall Rise” shtick right now, so I doubt this gets noticed much. I won’t be getting it, but I will note that this crosses over into X-Force and New Mutants, two books I’m interested in trying once they start new stories.

Last week had a plethora of good to great comics. This week? Uh, not so much. Reviewed this week:

Dark Avengers #10

Dark Reign: The List — Hulk #1

The Incredible Hulk #603

Justice League of America #38

I only buy one of these books (Dark Avengers) regularly. The Hulk duo — well, reading so much of Peter David’s run recently put me in a Hulk frame of mind. And I’ll be giving Justice League an extended try, mostly out of nostalgia for the old Morrison and Waid JLA.

Dave’s Best of the Week Spotlight

Incredible Hulk #603

The Incredible Hulk #603

Written by Greg Pak

Art by Ariel Olivetti, Guiseppe Camucoli, and Cam Smith; cover by Ariel Olivetti

RATING: 3/5

In the weakest of weak weeks, Incredible Hulk gets the Spotlight just by being decent. It was enjoyable, but I can’t say it was anything special. First, for both this and The List, I felt that the “Previously” page that appears on all Marvel comics could have been much more informative. As I mentioned above, I’m new to the title, and they could have done a better job making it accessible. Nevertheless, I picked up on the basic idea and found it mostly entertaining. The plot? Wolverine and his son, Daken, come looking (independently from each other) for Bruce Banner (no longer the Hulk) and his son, Skaar. Naturally, it leads to Daken vs. Skaar, which is cool, and Pak plays well on Skaar and Daken’s similarities throughout the issue. However, the fight is somewhat abbreviated and doesn’t really measure up to the classic Wolverine vs. Hulk battles.

Still, Banner himself is a badass now, and Pak does a nice job of sprinkling in some humor. The art switches back and forth between Olivetti’s painted art, and Camucoli/Smith’s traditional pencils and inks, which are similar to Jim Calafiore’s so-so stuff. Neither art set is anything special. I should mention that there’s a back-up story here, by Fred Van Lente and Michael Ryan, on a “new She-Hulk,” but it’s completely forgettable. Not sure yet whether I’ll try this book again. It’s not great, but does have some promise. I’ll probably decide when it gets close to the next issue, basing the decision off the next solit and how big the week is.

Quick Hits: The Rest of the Week

Dark Reign: The List -- Hulk #1 (of 1)

Dark Reign: The List — The Hulk #1

Written by Greg Pak

Art and cover by Ben Oliver

RATING: 2.5/5

Another helping of Hulk this week, this one not quite as good. The “Previously” page was again unhelpful, making the start of the comic pretty unaccessible. As Dark Reign drags on, Norman Osborn sends his right-hand woman, Victoria Hand, and Ms. Marvel (Moonstone) after Banner and Skaar. It’s an odd duo to send after someone so powerful, and the fight is even more odd. It’s nice to see Banner being a badass without becoming the Hulk, but he’s more like Tony Stark than Bruce now, which is weird. Even weirder is that Victoria Hand, a low-level SHIELD agent until her sudden promotion to No. 2 in HAMMER, is able to match wits with him. The resolution to the conflict feels sudden and a bit strained. Art is OK, nothing special — similar to Olivetti’s painted stuff in the main title.

Dark Avengers #10

Dark Avengers #10

Written by Brian Michael Bendis

Art and cover by Mike Deodato

RATING: 2.5/5

If you’ve read my recent comments, you know I’ve been hard on Dark Reign lately. Nevertheless, I’ve mostly liked this book, and based on the solit, came into this issue with somewhat high hopes. It didn’t particularly deliver. Deodato’s art is a treat, but the story struggled. Karla Sofen (aka Moonstone, now Ms. Marvel) was a character of great complexity and intrigue under Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza in Thunderbolts. Bendis is writing her like a sex addict, using her scantily clad exploits and come-ons as fodder for horny fanboys. I had a difficult time getting over that characterization, and it spoiled this issue for me. Also, billed as the issue where Norman starts to crack, the chinks in Osborn’s armor were a little too understated. The only redemption of the issue, outside of Deodato’s art, was the final page, which, if everything is as it appears, marks the return of a favorite villain of mine. Very nice.

Justice League of America #38

Justice League of America #38

Written by James Robinson

Art and cover by Mark Bagley and Rob Hunter

RATING: 1.5/5

OK, I was rooting for this to be good, better than Justice League: Cry for Justice, also by Robinson. But this is just not how you start a run. The main reason the rating isn’t a full point lower is because I have too much respect for Bagley’s art. Robinson, meanwhile, clumsily tries to tie up the loose ends of the preceding run, throws in a long and mostly pointless battle (seemingly just so there’s some action in the midst of poor dialogue), and concludes by setting up a Blackest Night tie-in for the next issue. Also, there are multiple references to events in Cry for Justice that haven’t happened yet in the mini. It was a very poor effort. I don’t understand why DC didn’t have someone else wrap up the old team and do the tie-in, then let Robinson start fresh with his new line-up, hitting the ground running. Also, let him start his run after his miniseries is finished, especially if he’s going to reference it. I’ll still give this book an extended try, because I really want it to be good. But I don’t have a good feeling about this.

As Goki just alluded to, a special announcement about this blog is coming very soon. In the meantime, I have a smaller announcement to make that should whet your appetite.

My critically acclaimed* PROJECT series will be making its return soon. If you’re not familiar with the series, here’s how it works: I read an entire famous comic book run, fairly rapidly, then write long, gushing reviews about what made it so great. There have been three installments so far, all of which deserve your attention: PROJECT: FABLES, PROJECT: Y, and PROJECT: SWAMP THING. They’re long, especially the first one, but they’re also the best thing I’ve ever written for this blog.

So what run gets to be the fourth installment? First, some back story. On Amazon.com, and presuambly other sites, there is a brilliant series of products available: Every issue of certain Marvel titles, from their beginnings in the 1960s to the end of 2005, available on dvd-rom (as simple PDFs). Best part, it’s even legal — Marvel had a license with the company putting these out, up until 2006. As far as I know, here are the available discs: Avengers, Uncanny X-Men, Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer (together on one disc), Incredible Hulk, Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Captain America. They’re each sold separately (except for FF and SS, which are together) and range from $40 to $100, incredibly cheap for 40 years of comics. A friend of mine bought all but Avengers and Captain America; I bought Avengers and we exchanged, so I have all of the above but Cap.

The main drawback is crossovers, because these contain just the main series’ issues; for instance, the X-Men disc has only the original X-Men series (which was canceled) and Uncanny – not the current X-Men book (later New X-Men and now X-Men Legacy) or X-Factor, X-Force, etc., so certain stories there might be hard to follow. And admittedly, it’s not the same reading comics on the computer as it is the real thing, but since most of these issues aren’t otherwise collected (and it would cost a fortune to buy the collections anyway), this is an amazing opportunity.

So with thousands of comics and most of Marvel’s greatest runs now suddenly at my disposal, it’s time for a new PROJECT. And what’s up first?

PROJECT: HULK–PETER DAVID is the lucky winner. I’m loving PAD’s work on X-Factor right now, so I decided to double my pleasure by going with his run on The Incredible Hulk, which spanned about 12 years (1987-1999) and is regarded as the greatest run ever on the title. I started a couple weeks ago, and am in early 1991 right now. It’ll probably take me another month to finish, but it’s already amazing.

So get excited about that, but also get to thinking, because I would love your suggestions on what comes next. Over on the DC side, where my first three PROJECTS were from, I still intend to do PROJECT: SANDMAN and PROJECT: STARMAN at some point, and I do own the first volumes of each of those collections. But I don’t want to start reading until I own the entire run, so Ican go through them all at once, and that might be a while still. So, since I have every issue of Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Hulk, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Silver Surfer already at my disposal, what run from those should be next?

My top choices right now are Uncanny X-Men–Chris Claremont or Avengers–Roy Thomas, both fairly obvious options. But I’m up for anything and would love some sleeper picks.

*Posts have never been acclaimed nor viewed by any critics of significant stature.

Something so big it cannot be contained. Something that has to be seen to believed.

(and no, I’m not talking about you-know-what this time)

It may come this week. Or perhaps the next; you won’t have to wait longer than that. What is it, you ask? All I’ll say for now is this: it will change the blog as you know it. Guaranteed.

We now return you to our regular progamming.

Kind of a small week, and thus a fairly short post. So, if you don’t have much to buy this week, look back over the reviews from the past couple weeks and use this opportunity to get my other recommendations. What else are you going to spend your money on? Rent? Insurance? Food?! Lame.

The Essentials

Nothing, really. Buy last week’s Incredible Hercules or Red Robin.

Should Buy

Justice League of America #38

James Robinson and Mark Bagley take over as the new creative team for a highly anticipated run. This would be an “Essential,” and is close to being so, but Robinson has been inconsistent lately: his Superman run gets some unfavorable reviews, and Justice League: Cry for Justice is a mixed bag. But his Starman run is regarded as a must-read classic, and DC is surely rooting he has the same magic on JLA. When I started reading comics, Grant Morrison and Mark Waid made JLA one of the best books on the market; today, what should be one of DC’s flagship titles has instead been an afterthought for years. Hopefully, Robinson takes it to new heights again, starting with this issue.

Dark Avengers #10

Billed as the issue where Norman Osborn’s fragile psyche starts to crack, this will hopefully start to give us some insight as to where Marvel is going with Dark Reign. Is Norman going to be in charge for years to come? God I hope not. But as the same time, we’ve seen little indication that there’s any end in sight. If you’re tired of the concept, like me, this issue might be the sliver of hope you’re looking for. If you’re enjoying DR, then this is probably up your alley anyway.

Others to consider

Azrael #1

Gotham’s non-Bat vigilante gets a new shot at a solo title, this time courtesy of Fabian Nicieza and Ramon Bachs. I’m not crazy about Bachs, so I hope this means he’s off Red Robin. I am, however, crazy about Nicieza, a favorite of mine. But despite my faith that FabNic can make anything good, I’m just so lukewarm about Azrael himself that I just can’t get excited enough to get on board this one.

Blackest Night: Superman #3 (of 3)

I tried the first issue of this tie-in, and found it incredibly mediocre. Didn’t try #2, and have no interest in #3.  This is also by Robinson, another reason why I still have slight reservations about JLA, though I’ll definitely be trying it anyway.

Incredible Hulk #603

It’s the Wolverines versus the Hulks as Banner and Skaar go up against Logan and Daken — though, as Marvel’s solit hints, this could easily could down to fathers versus sons, instead. It could be entertaining, and given that it’s a small week, I might try it. Particularly if my shop has the variant cover available.

Mighty Avengers #30

Like Hulk, the most notable thing about this issue might be the variant cover. Variants for both these books are just referred to as “SHS Variant” by Marvel, but they’re quite fun (neither seems to have anything to do with the actual content og the book). This week’s Iron Man also has an SHS variant. Remind me of the old Mighty Marvel comic strips they used to do, which were hilarious. Unlike  Hulk, though, there’s no chance I grab this. I tried the first five or six issues of Slott’s run, and was unimpressed.

Dark Reign: The List — Hulk #1

I haven’t been buying many of Marvel’s “The List” one-shots, but this one is another “maybe” just because it’s a shallow week. Osborn goes after Banner and Skaar, written by Greg Pak. Could be good, but going against this one-shot and the main title is that I haven’t read any Hulk in years and have very little concept of what’s been happening (I only have a vague idea of who Skaar even is). So, who knows, we’ll see. Possible impulse buy.

Fables #89
Uncanny X-Men #516
Marvels Project #3 (of 8 )
Batgirl #3
Green Lantern Corps #41
Red Robin #5
Batman #691
Blackest Night: Batman #3 (of 3)
Incredible Hercules #136

Dave’s “Best of the Week” Spotlight

Fables #89

 FABLES #89

Written by Bill Willingham

Art by Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha; Cover by Joao Ruas

RATING: 5/5

Wow, Dave loved an issue of Fables? What a shock! OK, so for loyal reader(s), this might be less of a surprise than hearing one of Kyle Rayner’s girlfriends has died. But nevertheless, it’s always worth repeating: this book is amazing. To have maintained such a high level for so long really is impressive, and there’s no end in sight. Part 3 of “Witches” was the same high quality I’ve come to expect from Willingham and crew. What’s especially impressive is how Willingham has used so many characters at just the right time, giving each his or her time to shine while adding to the rich tapestry of the series. This arc, it’s finally Bufkin’s turn, and he might have been the least likely character to ever really shine in the spotlight. Yet here we are, and I love it.

The Rest: Quick Hits

UNCANNY X-MEN #516

Written by Matt Fraction

Art and cover by Greg Land

RATING: 4.5/5

“Nation X” begins as Magneto returns. The biggest X-villain is back, but perhaps not as you would expect. Land’s art gets tiresome sometimes, but Fraction’s story is dead on. Cyclops has truly arrived as a character and leader under Fraction’s writing, and the tension with Xavier really sells some of the moments in this issue. Some nice drama near the end; really looking forward to more of this story.

Red Robin #5

 RED ROBIN #5

Written by Chris Yost

Art by Ramon Bachs; Cover by Francis Manapul

RATING: 4.5/5

This series is quickly growing into a favorite. Yost has turned all of Tim Drake Wayne’s pent-up emotion into a captivating blend of angst and determination. “Council of Spiders” begins without a ton of action, yet my attention never once wavered. Bachs’ art is mostly so-so, and sometimes not even that. But the writing more than makes up for it. Good book with a lot of potential.

Incredible Hercules #136

 INCREDIBLE HERCULES #136

Written by Greg Park and Fred Van Lente

Art by Reilly Brown; Cover by Rafael Alberquerque

RATING: 4.5/5

If it seems like I’m being generous with my ratings, just know that the books earned it. This one was an impulse buy that I bought instead of Deadpool #900. I think I made the right choice. Deadpool lives largely off its comedy, but this issue was funny in its own right. The premise? Hercules is pretending to be Thor because of some woman (back story I didn’t entirely follow), and that woman is pushing him to lead an army in invading Asgard to reclaim his (Thor’s) birthright; Herc is going along with the idea while looking for an exit strategy. So Thor comes out, pretending to be Hercules, and challenges Herc to single combat. That way, no invasion and no bloodshed, which both heroes want (oh, and did I mention Zeus has amnesia and is trapped in the body of a little boy?). All Hercules (as Thor) has to do is allow Thor (as Hercules) to beat him. Um, you can probably see where this is going. The results are fairly hysterical. This is a good, fun comic book that’s easy to follow. I’d never tried it, and as good as this was, I doubt I’ll stick with it, just because I’m buying a lot as is. But regardless, this is fun in its own right, and you should really buy this issue.

Batman #691

 BATMAN #691

Written by Judd Winick

Art by Mark Bagley and Rob Hunter ; Cover by Tony Daniel

RATING: 4/5

Winick ends his short run on the title, but before he does, he puts Dick Grayson on solid footing as the new Batman. Dick faces off against Two-Face, who is quite sure he is an imposter and not really Batman. Although Dick has worn the cowl for a few months now, it felt almost like he was born again as the full measure of Batman in this issue — appropriately, in the cave.

Batgirl #3

 BATGIRL #3

Written by Bryan Q. Miller

Art by Lee Garbett and Trevor Scott; Cover by Phil Noto

RATING: 3.5/5

The first arc for the new Batgirl concludes. Like Winick, Miller tries to firmly establish his heroine in her new role. And it works pretty well, although I must say that it seems a bit heavy handed at times. But there were some very enjoyable moments, and I liked it overall. Solid pencils by Garbett. Still, I think this series is probably pretty missable. Looks like it’s the kind of title you enjoy if you get it, but if you don’t, you’re not missing out on too much.

Blackest Night #3 (of 3)

BLACKEST NIGHT #3 (OF 3)

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Art by Ardian Syaf and John Dell; Cover by Andy Kubert

RATING: 3/5

I am now and always will be a sucker for Deadman. Fun character who really helped out this mini. Tim and Dick are finally confrotned with the Black Lantern corpses of their parents, and I thought Tomasi really overdid the reaction, or else this would be rated a little better. But the conclusion was pretty creative, so overall, I liked it.

Marvels Project #3

MARVELS PROJECT #3 (of 8 )

Written by Ed Brubaker

Art by Steve Epting; Covers by Steve Epting and Steve McNiven

RATING: 3.5/5

I’m becoming slightly less sold on this mini, though this issue was still good. The concept is good, maybe even great, but it moves along rather slowly. I hope Brubaker hasn’t gotten Bendis-itis, feeling the need to move his stories at a snail’s pace with entire issue where nothing happens. This certainly wasn’t Bendis bad, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Brubaker pick it up slightly. I think he could move it a little faster without losing the awe of the era he’s trying to instill. Epting’s art, as usual, was great.

Green Lantern Corps #41

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #41

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Art and cover by Patrick Gleason and Rebecca Buchman

RATING: 2/5

Naturally, since I spent the past two weeks talking about how good this series has gotten, this issue had to be disappointing. I still wouldn’t say it was bad, but it felt like Tomasi actually tried to do too much. There was a lot going on, and without time/space to develop more complex emotional reactions, it was mostly just characters yelling angrily as they encountered the Black Lanterns inhabiting the bodies of their former loved ones. Seriously, a lot of angry yelling. But there were still some good parts, including one potentially huge development, so I remain firmly on board this title.