What I’m Getting Wednesday July 29

The Comic Con as always was a huge event and as has been the norm the last couple of years while things are announced they have calmed down on “big” announcements and slowed down on signing or at least announcing all of these exclusive contracts deals with creators. I know that Marvel getting the rights to the Marvelman character was played up as a major level event, but outside of republishing the Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman run on the book I don’t see this character as being any major add for Marvel. It’s a nice vanity piece, but it is not something that is shaking up the core Marvel Universe. Now I do not read all of the news in detail, but it seems to me that Marvel was relatively quite. Unless you count the horrible idea of the Red She-Hulk, why did people continue to buy Loeb’s trash? I noticed DC is adding another JSA book and I like that idea of that group has such a large cast of good characters it needs more room to actually play with them. Hopefully this will be more of a second core book and not like the JSA Classified which was a solo spotlight book and eventually become a book for every writer to tell a Wildcat story. Johns is going to write the new ongoing Flash book and I’m guessing he will have to drop Green Lantern soon as his plate is getting really full. If he does quit GL after number 55 as people have speculated then he will have had one hell of a run on the book and will have to be considered one of the most influential writers ever on GL. I was excited about Shooter coming over to Dark Horse to try and write as much as the Gold Key Characters for them in new series again. The first year of Valiant Comics was perhaps their best year and that was when Shooter was in charge of everything. I have heard all the negatives about Shooter, but as head writer with Dark Horse this has potential. I’m looking forward to a new Magnus Robot Fighter book the most.

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

Detective Comics #855 - I loved JH Williams III artwork on last issue and while some people feel Rucka tells a similar story too often, I’m enjoying finally getting a Batwoman series. The hype “Written by Greg Rucka; Art by JH Williams III; co-feature Art by Cully Hamner; Cover by JH Williams III. "Elegy" part 2 of 4 by Greg Rucka and JH Williams III! Batwoman captures her enemy, a madwoman known only as Alice who sees her life as a fairy tale and everyone around her as expendable extras – including Kate! But when the tables are turned, Batwoman finds herself in a hallucination slamming the present into a collision with the past, and the hints of a threat that will claim the lives of every man, woman and child in Gotham City. And in the all-new co-feature starring the Question, Montoya's quest to find a missing young girl turns deadly."

Justice Society of America #29 – I know it is sacrilegious but I’m glad to see a new writing team on this book. Johns did some great stuff, but his long story line with Alex Ross as a co-plotter seem to cause the book to loss some focus. Willingham and Sturges seem to have good plans on what they want to do and I’m looking forward to their run on this book. The word “Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges; Art and Cover by Jesus Merino. A new era begins for the Justice Society of America as writers Bill Willingham (FABLES) and Matthew Sturges (BLUE BEETLE) take over the series with new artist Jesus Merino (SUPERMAN ANNUAL) just as two new recruits make their debut with the team! Strange happenings at the JSA Mansion are weird precursors to an all-out attack on all members of the team — all but one! And what is the strange connection that new members King Chimera and All-American Kid might have with the turmoil?”

Kid Colt (One-Shot) – I love picking up books like this that take characters that have not seen the light of day for years and dusting them off and doing a one shot on them. I would not sign up for a mini-series but a one time return to an old Marvel Western character is great. Now he needs a Masterwork to be published. What’s inside “The issue is written by Tom DeFalco, with art by Rick Burchett and a cover by Luke Ross. Framed for murder, Blaine Cole, one of Marvel's original western heroes saddles up to ride again as Kid Colt! Against a deadly bounty hunter, a corrupt Sherriff and the scavengers of the west, odds are against the Kid and his ally, the steady-shooting Everrett Hawkmoor. But that's the way they like 'em.”

Madame Xanadu #13 – Between Scalped and Madame Xanadu Vertigo has two of my favorite series. I love this book and look forward to each and every issue. The interior contains “Written by Matt Wagner; Art and Cover by Michael Wm. Kaluta. A young daughter pleads for Madame Xanadu to use her powers of sight to investigate deeper into her father's mysterious death. But the family secrets Madame Xanadu digs up are the kind that no one truly wants brought to light. Generations of deceit can charge a heavy toll, and the fortune-teller will discover why it's better to let sleeping dogs lie.”

The Stuff of Legend #1 (of 2) - Have I mentioned this book before? I think I wrote two reviews of it here and here and Thomm said this here and Gwen said this here. Go out to your store and buy this and if they did not order like some stores I know, make them order a copy for you. This is truly a wonderful story and well worth your time and effort to obtain it. The marketing pitch “The year is 1944. An allied force advances along a war-torn beach in a strange land, outnumbered and far from home. Together, they fight the greatest evil they have ever known. Never ending waves of exotic enemies come crashing down on them, but they will not rest. Thousands of miles away, the world is on the brink of destruction. But here in a child's bedroom in Brooklyn, our heroes, a small group of toys loyal to their human master, fight an unseen war to save him from every child's worst nightmare. Led by the toy soldier known as the Colonel and the boy's faithful teddy-bear named Max, the toys enter the realm known as The Dark. There they will face off against the Boogeyman and his army-- a legion of the boy's forgotten, bitter toys. Fighting to survive insurmountable odds, the toys will discover this is a battle not only for the soul of a child, but for their own as well...”

Wednesday Comics #4 (of 12) – A friend of mine has complained this is the most expensive newspaper every published. If you look at it as 15 strips with artwork that would cover 2 pages at least in a comic book, you are getting the same amount of material as you would for a 32 pages comic for $3 and a 40 pages comic for $4. It is a very different product for retailers and the market is not as easy to define as a regular comic, but for me it is a wonderful project and something I look forward to every week. DC says “Various Writers and Artists. In July, DC Comics gives a fresh twist to a grand comics tradition with WEDNESDAY COMICS, a new, weekly 12-issue series by some of the greatest names in comics today! WEDNESDAY COMICS is unique in modern comics history: Reinventing the classic weekly newspaper comics section, it is a 16-page weekly that unfolds to a sprawling 28" x 20" tabloid-sized reading experience bursting with mind-blowing color, action and excitement, with each feature on its own 14" x 20" page. Spearheaded by DCU Editorial Art Director Mark Chiarello, whose past editing credits include BATMAN BLACK and WHITE, DC: THE NEW FRONTIER and SOLO, each page of WEDNESDAY COMICS spotlights the continuing adventures of DC heroes."

The rest of the list:


Battlefields Tankies #3 (of 3) - A narrow escape brings the Tankies a brief respite, but it's out of the frying pan and into the fire as they run into their arch-nemesis: Germany's deadly Tiger tank. Can David overcome this particular Goliath? Can the British forces fight their way out of the slaughterhouse Normandy has become? And who will kill the big-mouthed Robbo firstthe enemy, or Stiles, his own commander? The last Battlefields story comes to it s deadly conclusion, in part three of THE TANKIES.

Blackest Night Tales of the Corps #3 (of 3) – Written by Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi; Art by Rags Morales, Chris Sprouse, Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke and others; Covers by Ed Benes and Rob Hunter. In this 3-issue miniseries, writers Geoff Johns and Peter J. Tomasi (GREEN LANTERN CORPS) reveal the secrets behind the Lanterns of BLACKEST NIGHT! Bear witness to Blue Lantern Saint Walker's pilgrimage of hope, Star Sapphire Carol Ferris' sacrifice for love, Green Lantern Kilowog's courageous beginnings, Red Lantern Vice's source of rage, Orange Lantern Blume's bizarre creation, and the first appearance of the mysterious Indigo, leader of the Indigo Tribe!

Complete Dracula #2 (of 5) - Dynamite presents an unprecedented comic book series starring the Lord of the Undead - Dracula! Writers John Reppion and Leah Moore are joined by painter Colton Worley for a 5 issue odyssey of life, death and the blood that flows within us all! This fully-painted series features a massive 32 pages of story and art per issue, each page fully-painted in a rich, moody style by Worley, all under covers by modern master John Cassaday! Join us for this authentic and exhaustive adaptation by Moore and Reppion, who also provide bonus materials such as script pages, annotations and samplings of the original text by Stoker!

Fear Agent #27 I Against I (Pt 6 of 6) - A cold day finds Heath Huston face to face with the last man he ever thought he'd see again. When the dust settles on planet Westx, Heath learns that his life is a lie and everyone in it a conspirator. Nothing will ever be the same. The nature of the universe and Heath Huston's role in it is all revealed in this, the blood soaked conclusion to the "I Against I" storyline.

Final Crisis Aftermath Ink #3 (of 6) - Written by Eric Wallace; Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino; Cover by Brian Stelfreeze. Things are not looking up for Mark Richards, the Tattooed Man. His family is in trouble, his powers are out of control, and his city is looking to him for help before it goes up in flames. Too bad Mark is too busy getting his face kicked in by a couple of new villains to do anything about it. This is the part where being a hero gets tough, and Mark realizes he might not be up to the task.

Justice League of America #35 - Written by Len Wein; Art by Eddy Barrows and Ruy Jose; Cover by Ed Benes. The cards are stacked against the remnants of the Justice League! And those cards are the Royal Flush Gang! Can even Superman and Wonder Woman save a team whose luck has run out? Featuring the deadly return of an old foe.

Last Days of Animal Man #3 (of 6) – Written by Gerry Conway; Art by Chris Batista and Dave Meikis; Cover by Brian Bolland. Enter the League of Titans! Buddy Baker is cracking up, but can he rely on a little help from his friends? Or should a wounded animal just slink away to die? Starfire has an opinion on the subject, and she's never been one to keep her feelings to herself…

New Avengers #55 - The issue is written by Brian Michael Bendis, with art and cover by Stuart Immonen. One of the Hood's gang has found a way to power drain the New Avengers and it turns the tides of the Dark Reign in ways no one would have expected it. Plus the new Sorcerer Supreme has a lot to learn, and they're going to learn it from...Spider-Man?

Northlanders #19 – Written by Brian Wood; Art by Danijel Zezelj; Cover by Massimo Carnevale. "The Shield Maidens" concludes its blood-drenched telling of Thyra, Grettr, and Lif – three wives of slain Danish warriors who seek revenge on their killers. The myth of the Valkyries, the idyllic figures who guide dead warriors to Valhalla, is shattered by the stone-cold reality of love lost.

Proof #22 - 'JULIA,' Part Five. Proof arrives in Russia too late. Julia's child is born and death is in the air.

Secret Warriors #6 - The issue is written by Brian Michael Bendis and Jonathan Hickman, with art by Stefano Caselli and a cover by Jim Cheung. The shocking conclusion to the first arc It's the ultimate Marvel super-hero spy experience. No one is safe! Don't believe everything you've been told! You will be lied to!

Superman #690 - Written by James Robinson; Art by Renato Guedes and José Wilson Magalhães; Cover by Andrew Robinson. As media mogul Morgan Edge fans the flames of Earth's distrust of all things alien, Mon-El wrestles with his looming demise and what to do with his remaining life. At the same time, forces from the future must prevent Mon-El from meeting Sodam Yat – the Green Lantern from Daxam known as Ion – for the sake of tomorrow. And General Lane rolls out his plan to ensnare our hero by lining up a vicious crew of villains – but to do this, Steel must fall. It's a wild ride setting up next month's crossover event in the SUPERMAN books!

Teen Titans #73 - Written by Bryan Q. Miller; co-feature written by Sean McKeever; Art by Joe Bennett and Jack Jadson; co-feature Art by Yildiray Cinar and Júlio Ferreira; Cover by Joe Bennett and Jack Jadson. In the first feature, the team attempts to rescue Wonder Girl from the new Fearsome Five, as Calculator enacts his revenge on the team for not protecting his children. In the 10-page co-feature, Ravager faces the drug problem that could kill her!

War of Kings Ascension #4 (of 4) – Written by DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING, Penciled by WELLINTON ALVES, Cover by BRANDON PETERSON. What happened at the end of WAR OF KINGS #4, and what did Darkhawk have to do with it? Only Chris Powell knows the terrible deeds the Fraternity of Raptors will carry out to protect their so-called “Great Purpose”, but who will believe or trust the paranoid warnings of a lone young Earthman? The entire universe thinks he’s committed an appalling crime—and now Darkhawk is cosmic enemy #1!

Wildcats #13 – Written by Christos Gage; Art by Shawn Moll and Drew Geraci; Cover by Ryan Sook. After the explosive events of last issue, the Wildcats are in shambles. There couldn't be a worse time for them to confront the archvillain known as Tao, but they don't have much choice, as his plans are coming to fruition and the fate of what's left of the world hangs in the balance. There's one bit of good news: they won't have to do it alone. Team Seven is back...but can even they turn the tide against a madman who can alter reality itself?

Wolverine Noir #4 (of 4) - Written by STUART MOORE, Pencils and Cover by C.P. SMITH. New York, 1937. On a dark train platform, in the hellish skid row called the Bowery, Private Eye Jim Logan gets one last chance to crack the case that's been tearing his guts out. But even if he finds his missing partner Dog, Logan's own shattered life may never be the same.

Wonder Woman #34 - Written by Gail Simone; Art by Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan; Cover by Aaron Lopresti. "Birds of Paradise" part 1 of 2! After the status-shattering events of WONDER WOMAN #33, the world's most sensational team reunites, as Wonder Woman and Black Canary go undercover among some of the worst villains of the DC universe! It's gonna be a bad day for some bad men when the two toughest women in comics join forces!

This was quiet week to end the month, which is unusual as often the last week is a killer week for books. The five week month really spreads things out and actually I finding that I enjoy the more leisurely pace that this type of month offers, especially since I have been very busy at work and we had a lot of entertaining happening this month. I love it when my daughters visit, but miss them a lot more then normal after they are gone again.