I think that this new format is going to work out, but I still feel a little daunted by the task as I had become very comfortable with the old format. The pattern was a commentary, list most anticipated, then the rest and an exit paragraph or remark. The conversational style that I’m looking for is more free spirited and forces me to abandon that type of rigid structure, but I hope it also forces me to find a different way to talk about the coming week.
DC is always a big part of my list and this week is no different, but often a portion of that list comes from Vertigo and Wildstorm, this week only three books from those sub categories is hitting, Hellblazer #261 from Vertigo,Victorian Undead #1 (of 6) and Authority the Lost Year #3 (of 12) from Wildstorm. Originally I had planned to pass on Victorian Undead but Ian Edginton is a good writer and the premise is wonderfully simple one with Sherlock Holmes trying to solve the mystery of why the dead are coming to life. If it had been a huge week I may have skipped it, but the Zombie thing continues to attract my intention in comics, although almost never in movies.
Batman is so dominate in the DCU that almost every week has at least three books or more that are Batman related. This week is no different with Batman Confidential #37, Batman The Streets of Gotham #6, Batman the Unseen #4 (of 5), Outsiders #24 (Blackest Night), Superman Batman #66 (Blackest Night) and Brave and Bold #29. That is six titles that have either a direct or very strong tie to the Batman universe. Oddly enough I do not feel the character is overexposed due to the 
way he is used and since Dick Grayson is now Batman in current continuity. I love the Blackest Night stuff, but of this grouping I have to say that Brave and Bold is the one for me this week. I love JMS as a writer, Jesus Saiz has been knocking it out of the park with his art, but this issue we get Brother Power the Geek. This series from DC that lasted two issues in the late sixties was the weirdest thing ever. He was created by Joe Simon to ostensibly be a modern age Frankenstein Monster and philosopher. Brother Power has hardly ever been seen since, so it could be very interesting. I read somewhere that Joe Simon prefers to never talk about the character.
We round out the rest of DC with Adventure Comics #4 (Blackest Night), Justice Society of America 80 Page Giant, Supergirl #47 and Flash Rebirth #5 (of 6). I want to like Flash Rebirth, but the slow publishing schedule and the fact that Barry is well integrated into the DCU with Blackest Night has taken the edge of what this series may be giving us. Ultimately it is written by Geoff Johns and while GL Rebirth was not perfect it set up where Johns has taken Hal and GL Corps ever since. That has been a fantastic ride, so Johns has built up a ton of good will with me.
Jumping into the other category of books we have the smash hit book of a few weeks ago coming out with it next issue, Cowboy Ninja Viking #2. I loved the first issue and thought it was a madcap romp that did a great job of playing with absurd concepts and characters and reining it in enough to make it work. I think that is a hard damn road to travel so I hope this issue can live up to the expectations I now have for this series. Also from the people at Image is Invincible #68, always a good book and Underground #3 (of 5).
The only other indy titles are from my friends at Boom Studios. I have to say that I was harping on the quality of this company since very early on and these guys are growing slow and steady. I think they are posed to be another IDW type of publisher and will vie with Dark Horse one day to be the number three publisher. Dark Horse, IDW and Boom all have terrific game plans and seem to know how to mix license deals with there own material. This week from Boom is Farscape #1, now an ongoing series that is chronicling the continuing adventures of Moya’s crew and doing it in fine fashion. Also from Boom is Irredeemable #8, I want the pace of this book to pick up, but at the same time I’m enjoying every issue of this series. Irredeemable has to be a top ten series for 2009.
Rounding out my week is Marvel with Dark Avengers #11, Dark Reign The List Amazing Spider-Man, Mighty Avengers #31, Nomad Girl Without a World #3 (of 4), Spider-Woman #3 and Thunderbolts #138. Thunderbolts is the series that I cancel and then add back on my list more then any other book. I had dropped it, then picked up last issue and was ready to drop it again when I saw the new writer was going to be Jeff Parker. I enjoy his work on both the original X-Men First Class stuff and Agents of Atlas, so now I’m back to trying out Thunderbolts yet again.
We also have the Realm of Kings #1, Realm of Kings Inhumans #1 (of 5) and the War of Kings HC. I was going to pass on this hardcover as it came out too quickly after the series for my taste. I realized how much I enjoyed it and the Realm of Kings is the direct sequel so I decided to get it while I was thinking about it. Abnett and Lanning have been doing great work for years and have found a nice corner of the MU to play with. The Realm of Kings #1 is setting the stage for a few mini-series exploring what the cosmic side of the MU looks like in the aftermath of the War of Kings.
Last and possibly least is Punisher #11. We are starting the Frank-en-Castle story arc. When last we saw Frank Castle, Daken had carved him up into pieces of meat the size of decent size hams. He was in at least 20 or so pieces. As the cover shows he is now revived and been stitched up into a version of Frankenstein’s Monster, hence the clever title. My problem with this is that Frank is a human being. Sure a driven human with levels of endurance and strength that is pushing past the top of the charts, but still human. He was dead, really, really dead and bringing human characters back to life in these unbelievable comic book ways somehow lessen the human characters more then the super human ones in my mind.That’s it for what I’m getting this Wednesday, we will do this again next week.
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