courtesy DC

Avengers: The Initiative #12 (Marvel) - The first class is revolved out for new super heroes. The best series Marvel putting out right now.

BPRD Vol. 8: KIlling Ground TPB (Dark Horse) - The plot gets icky…

Black Panther: Little Green Men TPB (Marvel) - I thought it was an episode of classic Star Trek, but there is a planet where 20s gangsterism is a way of life. How will the New Fantastic Four react?

Uncles Sam and the Freedom Fighters #8 (DC) - The last one! Go buy 10 copies! This is a great series no one is really giving a chance. Those of us who read it, love it, because the characters are balanced and the plot is hilarious and creepy. Don’t wait for the trade!

Jack of Fables #22 (Vertigo) - After the Pathetic Fallacy one-shot last issue, we return to Jack’s adventures, but this time in the Old West! What (and who) hasn’t he done?

Thor #7 (Marvel) - J. Michael Straczynski has not yet really wowed me. His run on Amazing Spider-man lacked direction and ended (probably by editorial mandate) with the erasing of about half of Spider-man’s continuity. The Twelve was a dozen new faces I didn’t care about. His run on Thor so far has been similarly lack-luster, with the exception of some funny moments (like the Asgardian gods attending a local government meeting). However, the momentum has been building in the series. I’m hoping the series does get better soon though, because I’m giving it one more issue until I’m out.

Angel: After The Fall #5 (IDW) - Time for big fights between all the demonic lords of LA! Read the rest of this entry »

Greeting programs!

If you’ve been in the Illini Union Bookstore (not to be confused with the Illinois University Bookstore) this past week, you may have seen a book display of spring leisure titles picked by staff members. I’ve got my own little section! No, 70% of these aren’t comics, but they are good, fun reads. Some are light-hearted, but some will f^$% you up.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 2 TPB (Dark Horse/Marvel) - Reprinting old Marvel Conan comics, Dark Horse has been bringing most of the Conan books to us as color comics in slim, expensive trades. These Dark Horse Presents books are like the Marvel Essentials - about twenty issues of black-and-white reprints in one volume. It may seem nit-picky, but it seems to me that the paper quality is much better for these Dark Horse editions when compared to Essentials or Showcase Presents. This volume contains classic Conan adaptations like “The Slithering Shadow” and “The Pool of the Black One.” Read the rest of this entry »

Jack of Fables #19 (Vertigo/DC) - Jack is still in Americana and it looks like the crew is going to the Fable version of Chicago, or at least, I assume Chicago. The issue’s description said, “Do you like mobsters? Do you like shootouts? Do you like frogs in top hats? What about Canadians? Do you like them? If so, then this is the story you’ve been waiting for your entire life.” I don’t know how I feel about a Canadian Fableland, but the tour of America’s subconscious has been fun so far, and after the zombies of last issue, I’m convinced this series can do no wrong.

New Avengers Annual #2 (Marvel) - The Hood is pissed after the last issue of New Avengers the where the Avengers and an army of illusions dismantled his super crime headquarters, but now this new Kingpin is ready to rumble and he’s bringing his super villain army with him. The result: a big fight and Spider-man and Hawkeye making a bunch of jokes! According to Marvel, “This double-sized issue ties into or wraps up threads from Civil War, World War Hulk, both Avengers titles and the upcoming Secret Invasion!!”

Mighty Avengers #8 (Marvel) - Dr. Doom has released a Venom virus onto Manhattan, turning everyday citizens into alien killing machines. We’ve already seen this fight in New Avengers, but now we get to see this battle in the book it was meant for. I like that while these are two separate teams, Brian Michael Bendis keeps the stories together so it’s almost like one massive series.

Captain America #34 (Marvel) - I’ve talked about this issue twice, once in October about the new Captain America costume, and then again about Cap’s new identity. This is the issue where we find out who is taking Captain America’s place after the original Cap was gunned down. I want to say that this will be Bucky, but then again, that’s what Marvel wants you to think, so maybe they’ll throw you a curve ball and not choose Bucky. Then again, maybe Marvel expects that you’ll think that they think you’ll think it’s Bucky and not pick a curveball, but Bucky. Hmmmmm. Of course, Bucky is probably a Skrull, so that may cause issues down the road.

Avengers: The Initiative #9 (Marvel) - The Initiative will be rocked to the core as the sins of the past resurface. I don’t care about that. I’m more excited to see how Eric O’Grady will react to it!

Images courtesy DC and Marvel

Jack of the Tales is in Americana, the American Fable land stationed somewhere in the Homelands.

He is with the Pathetic Fallacy, Humpty Dumpty and begrudgingly one of his former captors, Hillary Page, Paul Bunyan, Babe the Tiny Blue Ox, and Raven of Native American mythology. While Page has another mission, Jack is (of course) searching for gold.

Credit: DC

The group meets Tom Sawyer and Jim on their way to Steamboat, the Mississippi River region of Americana and travel to Idyll, a 50s town populated by Zombies. Read the rest of this entry »

The comic publishers send their product descriptions to Diamond Comic Distributors, the comic book supplier to most comic book stores for North America three months in advance.

This March there are dozens of great titles to preorder. Read the rest of this entry »

Jack Spratt Could Take No Crap

A spin-off of Bill Willingham’s astounding Fables comics, Jack of Fables is able to meet the expectations the other series created. Read the rest of this entry »