What I'm Getting May 9

No hard covers, no action figures and only one trade on my list for this week. It's a cheap week for me (well not that cheap) but comparatively speaking it is an all comic book week, which is cool. Of course this one website is running a 50% on the hard cover collections of Waid's run on the FF that I have been tempted by...

Countdown #51 - DC's next foray into weekly comics. The concept is more akin to having a senior story editor coordinating the telling of the event (Paul Dini) and having separate writer/artist teams producing the books. Keith Giffen is still on board as the layout artist to keep some semblance of cohesion to the book. This is counting down to DC's mega-event in 2008. I hope it works out, but I almost could have used a month off from the weekly books. Still looking forward to this series. Paul Dini has been involved in TV writing, so he seems a logical choice to try and pull this off.

Gen 13 #8 - I still like this series, but the characters are just not sticking with me. I read the book and forget who does what almost immediately. We also have a new art team coming on for this arc, I guess the idea that a writer/artist team stay with a book long term is just old school. Overall the Wildstorm relaunch has had some good books, but I think it has to be considered a failure. When the two big books (Authority and Wildcats) never come out it really hurts the entire line.


Green Lantern Corps #12 - Johns and Gibbons seem to be really building up to some interesting stuff with the Green Lantern universe. Mogo (which always makes me think of Mongo from Blazing Saddles) is no longer acting right and he is affecting the GLs that visit him.


Green Arrow #74 - Black Canary is back, GA is giving up as mayor. Seems like this book was so good and now it feels like it is suffering from a premature death. The Black Canary and Green Arrow mini-series after this book is ending with 75 should be good, but I had really enjoyed this series and feel cheated that it is being canned. My main interest is to see how they pull off the Black Canary thing, because in my opinion she should kick him to the curb as far as marriage goes.

Grifter and Midnighter #3 (of 6) - I almost no longer care what a series is about if Chuck Dixon is writing it. Especially when it is just a nice action story, which is what this series is all about. The two find themselves in the middle of an intergalactic invasion and the fun continues.


JLA Classified #38 - Part 2 of the Kid Amazo story line. Part 1 was pretty good. I sometimes wonder what is the mission of this book, but if we continue to get solid JLA stories I can go along for the ride.

Jack of Fables #10 - Continuing the story about Jack in Las Vegas. This is a fun book, but it maybe too much of a one note book to have a really long life. We will see.


Mystery in Space #8 (of 8) - The wrap up to the Captain Comet/ Weird stories. I have really enjoyed this series and love Captain Comet (and want a collection of his early stuff badly). Can't wait to see how Jim Starlin wraps this all up. Put this is a single trade for $15 and I'll add the trade to my collection.

Nightwing #132 - Conclusion of the "Bride and Groom" story line. This has been a decent series again with Marv Wolfman as the writer, but after reading the Annual I think Marc Andreyko should be the writer on this book. Marv has brought the book back from being one of DC's big failures, but Marc made the character really shine in the Annual and actually got Dick Grayson for today.

Outsiders #47 - Part 2 of the Checkmate/Outsiders cross-over. The one thing that is a glaring issue with DC for me is Nightwing is very inconsistent between this book and Nightwing, maybe the Outsiders are on a different earth. That would be cool if DC has been having some books on a parallel earth and just never told us.

Stormwatch PHD #7 - The official hype "Assault on Precinct 18" begins as Defile makes his move against the Post-Human Division in a big way. He's accounted for every eventuality in overrunning the station house that PHD calls home...except for the NYPD officers who share the precinct!" Last issue was great and this is the best Wildsotrm book out there right now.

Tales of the Unexpected #8 (of 8) - Concluding the Spectre and Dr. 13 stories. The Spectre story has been okay, but the Dr 13 tales has been a wonderful story and I'm anxious to read the conclusion.


Amazing Spider-Man #540 - Part 2 of the Back in Black storyline. This is the story line where Peter is dealing with Aunt May being shot. Since I missed the first time they killed her I'm actually enjoyed seeing how JMS is having Pete deal with the whole assassination attempt. Last issue was a good read and I'm actually looking forward to this issue.


Essential Fantastic Four Volume #6 - Covering issues #111-137. I have the entire Lee/Kirby run in Masterworks and don't expect this material to see the light of day anytime soon other then an Essential. I have not re-read this stuff in years and will at least take a glance at it to remember what they did with the series after Lee and Kirby both left.

Iron Fist #5 - This has been a great read and I have enjoyed the expansion of the Iron Fist mythos to date. I like that the two Iron Fist have to share the power. Looking forward to the battle between them and Hydra.

New Avengers #30 - I get this book to torture myself. Since I'm usually on a comic panel and I enjoy knowing what is happening in most books, I'm forced to read this travesty. This has to be one of the worse group of Avengers ever and the art is really not what I would choose for this type of book. We are promised a big reveal of who the new Ronin is in this issue and Marvel has made this a core book to follow. Plus it is the only place that has Doctor Strange in it right now.

Nova #2 - The first issue was great and Nova is coming home and will have a confrontation with Marvel's most over used character the omnipresent Iron Man. As long as Nova just wipes the floor with him I'll be happy. I want Nova to stay in space for the most part and hope this is a short stay at home.

Punisher War Journal #7 - Decision time issue for me. If they go too far with the writer's views on the politics of illegal immigration (and is in favor of having open borders) then I will drop the book. A writer is free to express his opinion, but when I'm strongly opposed to that view I don't need to have it pounded on my head and pay for it. If he keeps more a straight Punisher story I could hang in on this book.

Spider-Man / Fantastic Four #2 (of 4) - I was told by one person that they felt this book was juvenile and I can't disagree. This is a very light book and for me I just enjoyed it like a little kid, so I'm following the series out till the end.

Thunderbolts #114 - Warren Ellis' continuation of one of the darker comedic views ever done of the Marvel Universe. This is really a fascinating book, but it has to be viewed as a black comedy. I think Ellis is just having some fun at the expense of these characters. He is doing it very well and making this book entertaining as all get out.

Ultimate Powers #5 - My favorite guess who the famous person being photo referenced is book. This is supposed to be the climatic battle of Hyperion versus the ultimate Thor. Just as a pure I wonder who is stronger fan that moment it promises to be fun.

Blood Nation #4 (of 4) - This has been a fun and basically stupid book with relatively amateurish art, but I enjoyed the basic premise of a vampire nation and want to see how they live this world at the end of the mini-series. The idea has some real potential for more stories.

Invincible #41 - I can't think of any more praise to heap on this title. It really is just a great super hero title and is on par with the first 38 issues of Spider-Man, but written with a much longer story line in mind. Buy it, read it, enjoy.

Cover Girl #1 (of 5) - A series from Boom Studios. The premise is a male actor has a female body guard (who is a knockout). Twisting the typical roles of whom does what. The premise looked fun enough to give it a whirl.

Desperadoes Buffalo Dreams #4 (of 4) - The conclusion of this mini-series. Desperadoes has done about five stories so far and the stories have all been good, but the art is not as strong as the other stories and for me it hurt this story line. Still I love the characters and hoe we see another mini-series soon.

Gamekeeper #2 - A new series from Virgin comics. The first issue started off well and I want to see what will the Gamekeeper do now that the place he was guarding has essentially been over run. I give this book six issues.

Chronicles of Wormwood #3 (of 6) - Garth Ennis continues his attack on the Catholic religion. Anyone with religious sensibilities should stay away. As another dark comedy, I have enjoyed this book. Ennis at his unholy best. Solid artwork is supporting this book.

Grimm Fairy Tales #14 - I decided to read this series and then signed up for it. Ignoring the pure good girl covers and the artists' obsession with breasts on all the female characters, it is a fun retelling of this classic tales and they tie each story into a present day story. Light and fast reading, but very enjoyable.

Killer #4 (of 10) - A very nice story. We are following an assassin and his seeming descent. A really interesting piece of fiction as the writer is trying to gives us the mindset of a killer. Which has to be hard, as I doubt the writer was an assassin.

Secret History Book Two - Following a group of immortal warriors through different times. The first issue was interest, we shall see if it continues to hold my interest.


That is a wrap for this week's new arrivals.