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Lots of favorites and plenty of new books this week. A little bit for everyone!
We get a Hellboy one-shot in Hellboy: Buster Oakley Gets His Wish which features a story by Mike Mignola and art by the ever talented Kevin Nowlan. Hellboy gets sucked into a giant spacecraft full of mutated livestock and then must fight giant robots, strange webbing and evil aliens to get back to Earth. If that does not sound like an enjoyable read than I really do not know what to do with you.
As you know, I have really been enjoying the Ultimate Universe lately. This week we get Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates #3. So who’s the traitor? Nick Fury or Carol Danvers? Is it possible someone else is pulling the strings and framing both of them? Could be. In Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #157 Peter has to square off against the Ultimate Sinister Six while the Ultimates are fighting each other. This is it. The Death of Spider-Man. Brian Bendis and Mark Bagley. Is the original creative team returning to put Peter six feet under? I’m going to be an emotional wreck until I find out for sure!
Over in the Bat-Universe, Batgirl #20 finds Stephanie and Wendy are Oracle-less as Batgirl faces the superspeed villain Slipstream. Batman and Robin #22 has the final part of Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s “Dark Knight, White Knight” story. (Let’s hope the creative team returns after Judd Winick’s Red Hood storyline.) Red Robin #22 is the first part of a three-part story crossing over with Gotham City Sirens and Batman this month. Guest Starring Catwoman and Batman! And finally Birds of Prey #11 features the first date between Catman (from Secret Six) and the Huntress. Hint: the date doesn’t go well. Any chance of Gail Simone bringing a little of that Secret Six madness to Birds of Prey is okay by me!
Vertigo is offering both Cinderella: Fables Are Forever #3 and Northlanders #39. The former is a book that not only brilliantly spins off of Fables but is enjoyable all on its own as well. I’ve really been digging it. The latter brings us the end to the “Siege of Paris” story arc which has been one of the most interesting arcs Brian Wood has given us on this series. Last issue ended with the main character losing an arm!
Uncanny X-Force #7 continues the "Deathlok Nation" story as well as the great run of Rick Remender. Uncanny X-Men #535 is the start of a new story by writer Kieron Gillen with a warship from Breakworld crossing space to attack Colossus and Kitty Pryde! Throw Terry and Rachel Dodson back into the art chores and this is definitely something fans will want to devour! X-Men Legacy #247 gives us yet another chapter of Age of X which might be my favorite X-crossover of all time. And finally Daken: Dark Wolverine #8 continues the Daken/X-23 crossover. Daken has quickly become as cool as Wolverine used to be during the Claremont/Byrne era of the X-Men. You know I love my conniving anti-heroes!
Image Comics gives us some great choices as well. First up is Spawn #206. This has been one of the best new directions of a series I have read in the last year. Jim, the new Spawn, gets to meet God this issue. That should prove interesting. And Infinite Vacation #2 has Mark trying to figure out why his alternate selves are getting killed with the powers-that-be behind Infinite Vacations taking a keen interest in his struggle. Loved the first issue, can’t wait to read more!
Superboy #6 is the next part in "Reign of Doomsday." Can Superboy fight off the monster that killed Superman? Things do not look good for a certain boy of steel.
With SHIELD: Infinity we get a one-shot by writer Jonathan Hickman and multiple artists, which uncovers the mysterious history Hickman played with in the regular SHIELD series. Separate the truths and lies of Issac Newton. Decode the mysterious designs of Leonardo Da Vinci. Let Nikola Tesla uncover the Forever Machines with you. I cannot imagine those of us that enjoyed the SHIELD series not eating this one-shot up.
I know the big focus will be on the new Thor book, but I really enjoyed the Journey Into Mystery #622 preview. It looks like Kieron Gillen and Doug Braithwaite are focusing on the new Thor/Loki dynamic. I like young Loki and the exchange between him and his older sibling in the preview is enough to get me trying this series.
I tell you, Punishermax #12 looks really good. The beginning of this new story finds Frank healing in a prison hospital bed, dealing with his physical pain and the emotional scars revealed in the last arc. Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon should make it very interesting in revealing where the Punisher goes from here.
Steve Rogers goes on an interdimensional rescue mission after the X-Men are imprisoned by Blastarr in Steve Rogers: Super-Soldier Annual #1. It continues the story begun in Uncanny X-Men Annual that a lot of people really liked. If you did too you’ll probably want to pick this one up as well.
The first story arc comes to an end in THUNDER Agents #6. What new reveals and twists will we get? What happens to the team after the dust on the battlefield clears? I cannot wait to see what Nick Spencer and Co. have in store for us!
And finally, Flash #10 is a prelude to Flashpoint. Chances are if you are going to jump on the Flashpoint bandwagon you will want to see what the fastest man-with-a-bowtie is up to when he confronts his super alternate cop-on-a-fast-bike from a different timeline. Oooh, do you think Hot Pursuit will write Flash a ticket for going 186,000 miles per second in a fifty-five? Is it too late to make Wally the star again?
- SJD
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