What I’m Getting Wednesday

Yes it is November already. I think the reason why years seem shorter the older we get is all due to percentages. When I was five a year was 20% of the entire time I had been alive. A year was a massive amount of time. At 50 a year is only 2% of the entire time you have been alive and is therefore much shorter in relative terms.

Thanks for the comments that the column is read by some of you and I will continue to keep it as part of the “normal” weekly post that we do here at this blog. This week is a relatively light week for me and contains a relatively decent mix of books with DC at 14, Marvel at 8 and Independents at 10.

Atom #17 – After a five week month it often feels like it has been awhile between books, and it feels that way with the Atom. This issue Gail Simone is back at the helm and Diana Prince comes to Ivy Town to investigate all the strangeness for the Department of Meta Human Affairs. After all the hype and anticipation of having Gail write Wonder Woman due to delays in that title we get her first glimpse of how she will do in the Atom.

Countdown to Final Crisis #25 – Last issue I thought was a good recap and setting the stage for things to come. It also reminded me that very little happened in the previous 26 issues, so I hope the action level is stepping up.

Countdown Presents The Search for Ray Palmer: Red Rain – The Elseworlds Batman story where Batman is a Vampire is now one of the 52 realities and the setting for the next “Search” book. The last one on the Crime Society world was enjoyable and if nothing else I’m looking forward to Kelly Jones drawing the Vampire Batman again.

Infinity Inc #3 – This has been a good series so far as Peter Milligan seems to be a master of doing a group book that seldom is about what you think it will be about. So far the title just means that it is about the kids who used to be Infinity Inc. and all the strangeness they are dealing with.

Jonah Hex #25 – I just flat out love this book and most of the adventures are one and done. Palmiotti and Gray are writing some terrific stories and this issue the art is by Russ Heath. The official hype “A lost tale from the end of Hex's trail with art by legendary artist Russ Heath! When an older Jonah Hex meets up with his son, the result is an encounter that can only end in violence!” This is a book I look forward to reading.

Metal Men #4 (of 8) – This has been an investment book in that you have to really read it and pay attention as it is a dense plot. Once you do, it has paid off with some great action and character moments that is making Doc Magnus and the Metal Men a more viable concept. A decent mini-series.

Robin #168 – Part 1 of “The Resurrection of Ras as Ghul”. The Batman issue from last week is officially a prelude with the 7 part story line kicking off here.The entire Ras As Ghul/Talia and now Damian stuff is such a great element in Batman. I’m thrilled that they brought back Ras, as I consider him to be the pre-eminent villain for Batman.

Supergirl #23 – Kelly Puckett as writer with Drew Johnson and Ray Snyder on art come onboard as the new creative team on Supergirl. DC states that we are getting a new direction on this character. We are on issue #23 and this is at least the third direction this character has had, yet I continue to buy the book. Supergirl is such an appealing character that I hang in hoping I will want to read it each and every month.

Superman #670 – Between Rick Leonardi’s art and a story that has not grabbed my interest “The Third Kryptonian” storyline has come off as a very blah story arc.

Scalped #11 – A very good and building to great series. The official hype “Witness the final days of Gina Bad Horse in the dramatic finale of the 6-part "Casino Boogie." In a maximum security prison in Kansas, trying to comfort an innocent man convicted of double murder, Gina realizes that the darkest of her secrets must now see the light.”

Exterminators #23 – The conclusion to “Crossfire and Collateral” as the war against the Mayan Hissers comes to an end. Just the cover alone is creepy. Now I don’t run screaming at bugs, but enough of them can cause uneasiness in anyone. This series has so much going on and great and bizarre characters running around in the book, that it really has been one of Vertigo’s better series.

Vinyl Underground #2 – The first issue had its moments as it introduced our cast of characters, but the overall premise and flow of the series is still a question mark. Vertigo series tend to take a few issue to find their feet and the first issue was good enough to make me come back for one more. Ostensibly about a group of occult detectives, all young and very flawed.

Midnighter #13 – Midnighter is starting to determine exactly what the heck is going on in his hometown. This series has been very uneven since Garth Ennis left after the first arc and I’m almost off this book. This issue will be a deciding one for me whether I drop it or not.

Tranquility Armageddon – Continuing the Armageddon story line running in a series of specials in the Wildstorm Universe. As I missed Midnighter Armageddon last week (the store was shorted copies) I will get a double dose this week and have a better idea of the point of the “event”.

Annihilation Conquest Star Lord #4 (of 4) – This was easily the best of the three mini-series leading into Annihilation Conquest. I’m hopeful that this mini-series pulls off a better ending then the other two series conclusions. Of course as the mini-series had to all lead into the main event it does hamper them in how to end each series.

Astonishing X-Men #23 – I really only get this book for the art. Joss Whedon (and you can’t hit a home run every time) has really put together a lackluster adventure of the core group of X-Men. Plus the book get so late Marvel decided to start the “Messiah Complex” without carrying when this book concludes.

Annihilation Conquest #1 (of 6) – The Phalanx conquest of the Kree galaxy is being fought off by some resistant cells and Nova, Star Lord, Quasar and the Wraith. I have a feeling this is going to be more of a story of the different elements slowly coming together to try and save the day as opposed to the last Annihilation series which saw Nova heading a large force trying to hold back the bad guys. So far this has been an entertaining lead up and now we have the main event. When it comes to “events” I have no problem with self contained events.

Criminal #10 – Last issue was a little bit of a let down as too many elements of the story were being wrapped up too neatly, that being said I’m still really looking forward to the conclusion of this arc. Criminal is Marvel’s answer to having a “Vertigo” type title and Brubaker and Philips have done a very good job on the series.

Fantastic Four #551 – Dr. Doom comes back from the future to stop Reed Richards plan that he started in Civil War. Promising to show us what Reed was cooking up in his lab to try and save the future and apparently Dr. Doom is being forced to save the future from what Reed started. Time travel stories are fraught with peril, but as comic book stories usually enjoyable if well written.

Iron Fist #10 – The third part of the “Seven Capitals of Heaven” story line. This book has been one long story line, that has been good at times and very good at other times. The art by Daniel Aja (main artist on the series) has elevated this series to a different level. One of the best series coming out of Marvel.

New Avengers Illuminati #5 (of 5) - Why the frell is Marvel releasing this issue. The official hype is “The Illuminati get together for the first time since Planet Hulk and the Civil War to deal with the shocking reveals in NEW and MIGHTY AVENGERS. But not everyone in the cabal is who they say they are. Its a throw-down drag-out that opens the door to the Marvel event of 2008!! WHO DO YOU TRUST?? Do not miss this important chapter in the saga!!” WW Hulk has not ended yet, the Mighty Avengers first arc has not concluded yet. I sometimes think Marvel publishes a book if it ready to go and very seldom holds a book to save it from ruining another series.

Uncanny X-Men #492 – Part 2 of the Messiah Complex. Okay the one story element that is cracking me up is the baby that is born a mutant already registers as a mutant. The whole coming of age and becoming a mutant stuff is out the window I assume. The opening chapter was unimpressive.

Strange Embrace #5 (of 8) – Continuing one of the truly different books that I have read in a long time. David Hines’ (writer and artist) book certainly lives up to its title. The story has wound its way from the initial main character into a tale of the strange antique shop dealer. Where he is going with this story is beyond me. Compelling.

Hellboy Darkness Calls #6 (of 6) – Seems like this series flew by. I’m just getting back into the Hellboy world with this mini-series and have really enjoyed it. Hellboy has that right sense of fatalism, confidence and gallows humor that just comes across as a nonchalant coolness.

Groo #1 (of 4) – I have not picked up a Groo book in a lot of years, but I love Serigo Aragones art work and Mark Evanier is a solid writer. So I’m really looking forward to the cartoon world of a barbarian. Should be a solid humor book.

Lobster Johnson The Iron Prometheus #3 (of 5) – A lot of mini-series have become five part as opposed to six parts lately. I have to assume that the economics of producing a comic book is pushing more books to end after five as opposed to six issues. This series itself has been a great pulp fiction type story set during the WW II era.

Ghosting #3 (of 5) - I’m still ambivalent about this series. Both Ghosting and Atlantis Rising are from Platinum Studios and I have been unimpressed by most of their efforts to date. What I have read has been okay, but the art work has been a little amateurish and the writing just okay. They have split from Image and went public (I’m sure a penny stock) and while I wish them good luck I do not see them as a long term survivor.


Atlantis Rising #1 (of 5) – The premise is that we have polluted the seas enough to finally piss off Atlantis and they are coming out of the water to stop it. I’m trying issue #1, but I have limited hope that this type of story which has been told many times will be “new” enough to keep me on it. Hope springs eternal though as I will give issue #1 a try.

Fallen Angel #21 – This series has been consistently a very good one and between its run at DC and IDW it has gone almost 40 issues. Ultimately I believe the book needs an ending to make it a superior run as I do not believe the book has enough going for to last 100 issues or more. Still with Peter David, who knows.

Grimm Fairy Tales Return to Wonderland #4 (of 7) – This has been a good series and last issue we saw the heroine take out the Mad Hatter. How will Alice’s daughter escape from Wonderland?


Lower Regions GN – The official hype says it all “B&W. Creators: Alex Robinson. Description: You tasted his Box Office Poison then got Tricked, so brace yourself for Alex Robinson's Lower Regions! The award winning creator follows up his acclaimed graphic novels with a bold new direction: a pretty barbarian lady with an axe chopping her way through a dungeon filled with monsters! And if that doesn't make you curious, how about this: this bloody, funny 56-page story contains only one word: Thoooom! A unique blend of mayhem, cheesecake and humor, Alex Robinson's Lower Regions will leave you breathless. 56 pages. (8x11)” Looking forward to this book.

Two Guns #3 (of 4) – This caper story has had along hiatus between issues #2 and #3. It has a convoluted plot and crosses and double crosses, so hopefully the story will come back to me as I read it.

That is a wrap for this week and I think the book I’m looking forward to the most is Lower Regions. Box Office Poison was a really terrific graphic novel and I think this premise looks like it could be very funny.