What I’m Getting Wednesday

This is my favorite time of the year. I have always enjoyed Christmas more then any other holiday. Not because of the religious aspect (as anyone who knows me can attest to) and anyway it is as much of a winter solstice celebration as anything else, but because of having fun receiving and giving presents. When I was a around 14 or so my brother stole my list of books missing from my collection and picked up at least 25 or more books that were missing from my collection and that was a huge surprise and a great Christmas. The years watching my kids get up for Christmas morning have to be the best and seeing them opening their gifts is always fun. This Christmas neither of my daughters will be in Maryland for Christmas, but I still had fun filling a stocking and mailing off a box to each of them.

The books that I’m looking forward to the most this week are:

Batman #683 – This is the last issue by Grant Morrison for awhile (although the rumor of a Morrison / Quietly Batman book sounds cool) and I’m anxious to see how this issue and Final Crisis #6 set up what has happened to Bruce Wayne. The hype “Written by Grant Morrison ; Art by Lee Garbett; Cover by Alex Ross. This special two-part tale narrated by Sir Alfred Pennnyworth reflects upon the life and times of Gotham City's most celebrated citizen – and hints at what's next for The Dark Knight. Grant Morrison delivers a story of past memories, present heartache and future promises. A spectacular, unforgettable farewell to The Dark Knight, mixing memory, dream and speculation as Alfred closes the casebook on the greatest crimefighter of all time. With guest appearances by Batman friends and foes from every era of Batman's history, this epic adventure cannot be missed.”

City of Dust #3 (of 5) – This has been a great book and plays into Steve Niles strength which is telling great stories and using familiar themes, but mashing them together. The sci-fi, Judge Dredd and Fahrenheit 451 themes are working great together and the art has done a great job of putting us into that future. The word “by Steve Niles & Zid Blood fills the streets as Khrome's detective instincts awaken him to the truth behind the serial murders. Khrome may be too late as the terror below the clouds reaches up to the highest levels of the city, and in the aftermath of a massacre, evil once imagined becomes very, very real.”

Farscape #1 – I’m not a big fan of comic books doing stories about TV shows, but I miss Farscape so much and the writer was part of the show, so it looks like this could be a rare comic book that is a great addition to the series. The company line “TV’s Sci Fi masterpiece FARSCAPE returns! FARSCAPE creator Rockne O’Bannon continues his creation in comic book form right where the Peacekeeper Wars left off! Find out what’s in store for John Crichton, Aeryn Sun, Rygel, Chiana, and the rest of the Moya crew! Do the comics tie into Sci-Fi Channel’s upcoming webisodes? You know it, ‘Scapers! Don’t frelling miss this!”

Gigantic #2 (of 5) – The first issue was so much freaking fun it should be illegal in a few states. The idea that Earth was created as a set for a reality TV series was very funny and the Gigantic Robot smashing up things was well done. The hype “You are an actor on a planet-sized stage. You don't know it, but Gigantic does, and he's willing to risk your life to open your eyes. With the universe-controlling network known as the UBC hot on his tail, Gigantic makes a desperate plea to the citizens of his homeworld to discontinue their support of the evil corporation that rules them. In a fight for the life of his brother, the mystery society at the core of the Earth is revealed.”

Thor #12 – This series by JMS is so well done, but the lag between issues has hurt the pace and I keep thinking this maybe a book to go with the trade or wait for a 12 issue hard cover. What’s inside “Sinister things are afoot in Asgard. Loki claims to have only the best of intentions, but her manipulations have seated a new prince on the throne, the brave Balder…and her snake’s tongue has planted seeds of doubt in the ears of Asgardians to question the leadership of the mighty Thor. What insidious treachery will the cunning Loki spring on the noble heroes? And what dreaded effect could it have on the innocent townspeople of neighboring Broxton, Oklahoma?”

The rest of the list:

Astounding Wolf-Man #11 - story Robert Kirkman art & cover Jason Howard Guest Starring Invincible! In part two of a two-part crossover, Invincible sets off on a mission to bring the fugitive Wolf-Man to justice. This issue continues from Invincible #57.

Atomic Robo Dogs of War #5 (of 5) - by Brian Clevinger & Scott Wegener June, 1944: Five long years of endless combat have taken their toll on the once invincible German war machine. The Red Army is on a year long offensive in the East while Allied forces amass in Britain for the largest amphibious assault in history. But Germany's greatest superweapon threatens to turn the tide of battle once and for all: the dreaded Electric Cannon can rain unparalleled destruction across all of Britain, the English Channel, and the Eastern Front. Sounds like a job for Atomic Robo! But is that exactly what the Nazis were hoping for?

Batman Gotham After Midnight #8 (of 12) - Written by Steve Niles; Art and Cover by Kelley Jones. You'd better watch out…It's Christmas in Gotham City, and Midnight's reign of terror continues to unfold! As Batman's relationship with Detective April Clarkson heats up the holiday season, the maniacal Midnight turns his attention towards her as well, and vows to make the season bright…with her blood! Oh, the ho-ho-horror!

Beyond Wonderland #4 (of 6) - by Raven Gregory, Dan Leister & Sarah Ruffino The sequel to the smash independent hit Return to Wonderland continues! Johnny Liddle, the new and sadistic Mad Hatter has been stalking Calie Liddle since his return from the twisted dimension known as Wonderland. But how did the boy become the Mad Hatter and what happened to him while trapped in that other world? The answers are revealed here!

Brave and Bold #20 - Written by David Hine; Art and Cover by Doug Braithwaite and Bill Reinhold. Green Lantern and Phantom Stranger are summoned to a dangerous new world! Beautiful and otherworldly, this planet looks like nothing you've seen before. But its civilization hides a secret strange enough to overpower the Stranger!

Daredevil #114 - With Lady Bullseye on his trail, Daredevil must protect an old blind man who holds the key to the Hand's destruction! It's an all-out kung-fu ninja battle in the heart of New York City, and everyone who can kick is invited! By Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark.

Fall of Cthulhu Apocalypse #1 (of 4) - The Apocalypse is upon us! Since the beginning of the FALL OF CTHULHU storyline, readers have been anxiously awaiting the moment when all the tale’s threads begin to tie together into the ultimate war between gods and men. As of now, they wait no longer. Let the Apocalypse begin!

Ferryman #4 (of 5) - Written by Marc Andreyko; Art and Cover by Jonathan Wayshak. It's the penultimate issue of the miniseries from the mind of legendary movie producer Joel Silver! Gideon Thorne learns the ancient origin of The Other, and the shocking truth ties into just why the satanic Webster wants Gideon exterminated.

Flash #247 - Written by Alan Burnett; Art by Carlo Barberi and Drew Geraci; Cover by Brian Stelfreeze. "This Was Your Life, Wally West" concludes! As Flash stands alone without his powers or family to support him, only one question remains – is this end of the Fastest Man Alive?

Grimm Fairy Tales #33- by Dan Wickline Part 2 of the very first Grimm Fairy Tales/1001 Arabian Nights summer crossover event! A man searching for a cure to his dying wife's illness may find that the remedy is far worse than the disease itself as he discovers a little known fairy tale courtesy of Belinda. 'The Three Snake Leaves' tells the story of a man who is willing to do anything to bring back his dead wife, and the dire price he must pay. Revealing the full origin of Wilhelm from The Adventures of Sinbad, this final part of the crossover is one not to be missed! – For the record I hate being forced to buy 1001 Nights again due to this cross-over.

Grimm Fairy Tales Annual 2008 - by Joe Tyler, Ralph Tedesco, Mike Kalvoda & Raven Gregory Join Sela and Belinda as they take a little cruise - on the Titanic! With Death as their shipmate, things get interesting long before the ill-fated vessel meets its icy doom. Come take a trip down memory lane with these two favorite fairy tale girls. Four classic tales are retold with the Grimm Fairy Tales spin while revealing secrets from Belinda and Sela's past for the first time.

Guerillas #3 (of 9) - The chimps are being chased by the U.S. military and hunted by the Viet Cong. Turns out Viet Nam isn’t a very safe place to be a monkey... See what happens next in GUERILLAS #3!

Immortal Iron Fist #21 - Danny Rand was not the first Immortal Iron Fist…and he won’t be the last! The year – 3099. The place – a distant planet first colonized a millennium ago by the People’s Republic of China. Now, a humanity oppressed by a totalitarian technological tyrant has just one hope for salvation – the kung-fu freedom-fighting of the Immortal Iron Fist! But his coming is nothing more than a prophecy and a silent prayer…and even if the Iron Fist does arrive, he must first defeat the most powerful weapon the evil robot empire has…Robo Fat-Cobra! Hot off the heels of Duane Swierczynski and Travel Foreman’s rip-roaring “MORTAL IRON FIST” arc comes an all-new look at the future legacy of the Immortal Iron Fist...with a jaw-dropping cover by Juan Doe!

Invincible #57 - GUEST-STARRING THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN! In part one of a two-part crossover, Invincible sets off on a mission to bring the fugitive Wolf-Man to justice. To be continued in THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #11.

Mister X Condemned #1 (of 4) - Twenty-five years ago, Mister X debuted with a concept so clever and a character so captivating that it influenced an entire generation of comics fans and creators. Today, Motter reclaims the reins and sets out to inspire a whole new generation with Mister X: Condemned a completely fresh introduction to the elusive Mister X and his dystopian home--Somnopolis, the City of Nightmares. With influences from Film Noir to German Expressionism, this story of a city gone mad and the never-sleeping man who's obsessed with saving it will amaze anyone interested in masterpiece storytelling born from the vision of a single iconoclastic creator.

Necronomicon #4 (of 4) - The fate of the world hangs in the balance as a lowly college student must fight to keep the Necronomicon’s magic from unleashing the vengeance of the Old Ones—and turning the entire Middle East into a raging cauldron of mystical power that will rule the Earth! Don’t miss this shocking conclusion!

New Avengers #48 – The Invasion is over! But who are the New Avengers!??! The first major roster change since the very first issue!! See here who the New Avengers are and what their place in the Dark Reign is!

Nova #20 - Guest-starring the original New Warriors…and the Nova Corps?! Whether Rich Rider likes it or not, the Nova Corps has been re-founded, and planet Earth doesn't seem ready for its futuristic policing methods! Now the Human Rocket is on a collision course with some of his oldest friends and ex-teammates... the original New Warriors! Plus: a sucker punch ending that will make you gasp "I don’t believe they did that!"

Rann Thanagar Holy War #8 (of 8) - Written by Jim Starlin; Art by Ron Lim ; Cover by Jim Starlin. The exciting conclusion of this epic space story draws to a dramatic conclusion, and everyone in the universe shows up to see who will stand victorious.

Reign in Hell #6 (of 8) - Written by Keith Giffen; Art by Tom Derenick and Bill Sienkiewicz and Chad Hardin and Walden Wong; Cover by Justiniano. Pull up a front-row seat for a violent rampage through Hell! Dr. Occult finally meets up with the mystic alliance in Purgatory, and the new power in Hell threatens to change the meaning of life and death in the DCU!

Remnant #1 (of 4) – Actor Stephen Baldwin and writer Andrew Cosby (creator of Sci-Fi Channel’s EUREKA) unleash THE REMNANT at BOOM! Studios! When natural disasters erupt around the world and people start to vanish, C.I.A. agent David Sacker is pulled into a dangerous mystery that will challenge everything he knows about reality. Featuring sensational interior art by hot newcomer artist Julian Totino Tedesco! Cover by Paul Azaceta.

Savage #3 (of 4) - Lost in the woods, his leg savagely wounded by a creature that can't exist, Peter desperately clings to the last shreds of his sanity. Meanwhile, in order for Sam to save an innocent life, he must transform from hunter to monster and fight a pack of bloodthirsty werewolves to the death! This is when the fur really starts to fly...

Top 10 Season Two #3 (of 4) - Written by Zander Cannon; Art and Cover by Gene Ha. Enjoy an extra-dimensional weekend trip with Sgt. Hector Monsoon and Lt. Peregrine's husband as the two head out in order to improve themselves. And back in Neopolis, Girl 2 starts her patrol with her new partner Joe Pi and quickly finds how much is required of a patrol officer. Meanwhile, Dust Devil and Shock-Headed Peter's new informant turns out to have the goods, and they make a surprising arrest.

Trinity #30 - Written by Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza; Art by Mark Bagley and Art Thibert, Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens, Tom Derenick and Wayne Faucher and Mike Norton. The Dark Trinity, having revealed a traitor in their midst, attempts to take the newly ordered world by storm with a new recruit by their side! Meanwhile, find out exactly where the original Trinity – Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman – are and what's become of them and the strange new world they inhabit!

Ultimate Spider-Man #129 - Ultimatum is upon us!! Big changes are afoot and with them comes the much anticipated return of ULTIMATE SPIDER-WOMAN! But is she friend or foe?? Guest- starring the Human Torch and Kitty Pryde!

Umbrella Academy Dallas #2 (of 6) - While Spaceboy watches reality TV and Number Five lies low in a seedy motel, a threat against the Umbrella Academy begins to rouse the team, who've been rather uninspired since the catastrophic events from 2007's best-selling Apocalypse Suite. Only one member of the team understands the danger that lies ahead-the massacre in Costello's Diner has raised some suspicions of what's happened, and what's to come. At the heart of this, the Umbrella Academy feels the loss of Pogo, the chimp that had held them together since childhood, and resort to remedies that won't help, and, sadly, won't cure boredom.

Unknown Soldier #3 - Written by Joshua Dysart; Art by Alberto Ponticelli; Cover by Igor Kordey. Taken hostage, Moses and several children march deeper into the Ugandan bush. Now, the pacifist doctor's only chance of surviving will be to embrace the mysterious soldier that lurks inside of him…and turn fully to the path of violence.

Vigilante #1 - Written by Marv Wolfman; Art by Rick Leonardi; Cover by Walter Simonson. In New York City, crime is on the rise, and terror fills the streets. Gang warfare is escalating, and metahumans are being drafted into battle. Through the corruption and lawlessness, one man emerges to right the wrongs as only he can. So when a Super Hero conspiracy plot is brought to light, the Vigilante returns to find the traitor and mete out his own brand of justice – with extreme prejudice! Join us as writer Marv Wolfman (NEW TEEN TITANS, CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS) continues the street-level adventures of the mysterious new crime fighter he introduced in the pages of NIGHTWING.

Wildcats #6 – Written by Christos Gage; Art by Neil Googe and Phil Noto; Cover by Neil Googe. New players hit the scene in Los Angeles and threaten the Wildcats – Lord Defile and the Daemonites! Can these ancient enemies coexist in the post-apocalyptic city?And Christos Gage kicks off a new backup story featuring the sexy, deadly Christie Blaze with the aid of artist Phil Noto!

Wonder Woman #27 - Written by Gail Simone; Art by Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan; Cover by Aaron Lopresti. "Rise of the Olympian" part 2! The Society's ultimate weapon, Genocide, remains on the loose and on a murderous rampage while Wonder Woman has to deal with the ramifications, both mental and physical, of failing to stop the threat. Meanwhile, the Amazons make their long-awaited return to a home they barely recognize, and a god makes a promise to Athena that will change the landscape of the DC Universe forever – and that's just the stuff we can tell you about!

That’s it for this week. Looks to be a good week for comics and some fantastic covers this week, from funny, to great, to an "Embarrassed to be a Fanboy" type. Again I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. While I have major concerns about what the years ahead hold for us in a financial light, I know that we are at least a part of a community that is made up of one heck of a lot of smart, bright and thoughtful people and that we’ll get by with a little help from our friends.