QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE FRIDAY 12-28-07

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE FRIDAY 12-28-07
By John Judy

(NOTE: Friday, not Wednesday, this week for comics. L)

ACTION COMICS #860 by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. There’s mad doings in the future with the Legion of Super-Heroes! Recommended for anyone who needs more time-travel continuity to keep up with! From the powerhouse scribe of the JSA!

AL WILLIAMSON READER VOL. 1 SC by Al Williamson. A great collection of stories and art from a comics and fantasy illustration legend. Recommended.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #545 by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada. It’s the final chapter in which Spidey must sell his marriage to the Devil. Note to younger fans: If you see anyone laughing in the comics stores this week it means they are, or have been, married.

AVENGERS INITIATIVE #8 by Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli. The first batch of recruits are about to graduate even as a new bunch is coming in. Humor and adventure mix perfectly in what is probably the best series to come out of Marvel’s “Civil War.” Recommended.

BATMAN #672 by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel. There’s a Third Batman out there killing cops! Hmmm, maybe he’s tight with the Third Kryptonian over in the Super-books? Nah, not going there. And who’s the second Batman in all this? Gotta look.

BLACK PANTHER #33 by Reginald Hudlin and Francis Portella. Lotsa great fights on the Skrull Gangsta World in which it becomes apparent that Skrulls have almost no imagination. It’s like a world of Rob Liefelds who can shape-shift…

BRAVE AND BOLD #9 by Mark Waid and George Perez. The Book of Destiny has been opened! Looks like someone’s not waiting for the movie! Recommended for everyone who loves the Silver-Age as much as Waid. Try it, whipper-snappers! It’s good for ya! (Cough, wheeze, hack…)

CAPTAIN AMERICA #33 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. Winter Bucky versus Iron Man! With a final panel we all knew had to come. Good stuff!

CAPTAIN MARVEL #2 of 5 by Brian Reed and Lee Weeks. Okay, I’ll admit it: I am completely stumped at what Marv sees in the old painting. Guest-starring Ms. Marvel and an old painting.

CRIME BIBLE: FIVE LESSONS OF BLOOD #3 of 5 by Greg Rucka and Matthew Clark. “The Lesson of Greed” guest-starring Vice-President Cheney and the Haliburton Gang! Buy every copy, because no one else deserves this comic but you! Recommended.

DAN DARE #2 of 7 by Garth Ennis and Gary Erskin. The pilot of the future is back on the job, Ennis-style! Imagine “War Story” set in space. Recommended.

DAREDEVIL #103 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. DD actually stands for “Down and Dirty” as Matt Murdock fights his way to Mr. Fear and the cure to his wife’s madness. Recommended.

DAREDEVIL BY FRANK MILLER OMNIBUS COMPANION HC by Frank and Friends. If Miller breathed on it before it hit the newsstands it’s probably in here. From the glory days before Miller went Hollywood/Nuts, back he still recognized the word “No.” Recommended.

GIANT SIZE AVENGERS SPECIAL #1 by Lotsa People. It’s 55 pages, plus re-prints!

GREEN LANTERN #26 by Geoff Johns and Mike McKone. The GL Corps gets a shake-up with the arrival of the Alpha Lanterns. Intriguing….

HELLBLAZER #239 by Andy Diggle and Leonardo Manco. Refugees from Sudan are bearing a package for one known only as “The Laughing Magician.” Wonder who that could be? Leads into a three-parter marking the 20th anniversary of this flagship Vertigo title. Recommended.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #37 by Jim Shooter, Francis Manapul, and John Livesay. Wow, nevermind the story in the book. The real “gotta-look” is Jim Shooter returning to the title he first wrote back in the mid 1960s when he was thirteen years old. Wow.

MARVEL ZOMBIES 2 #3 of 5 by Robert Kirkman and Sean Phillips. It takes a slugger like Kirkman to make good zombies scare you more than bad zombies. Not for kids but otherwise recommended.

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN-AGE HUMAN TORCH VOL. 2 HC by Bill Everett, Carl Burgos, Basil Wolverton, and Mickey-friggin-Spillane! Golden-Age epics from 1941-42, collecting HT #5-8. Torch versus Sub-Mariner versus Hitler and…GAH!! Just read it while your brain pops and sizzles to the classic excellence contained herein! Highly recommended!

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL.5 HC by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr. Collecting Spidey #41-50, plus Annual #3. This one has the first appearance of future Mrs. Spidey, Mary-Jane Watson. “Face it, Tiger…”

PUNISHER #53 by Garth Ennis and Goran Parlov. Okay, after the last page of the previous issue you know this one’s gonna be savage, out of control mayhem, right? Not for kids, highly recommended.

SATCHEL PAIGE: STRIKING OUT JIM CROW HC and SC by James Sturm and Rich Tommaso. A fictionalized account of the legendary ball-player’s life, from his early days to the peak of his career in the Negro Leagues. Highly recommended, as are all of Mr. Sturm’s other works. A preview is available online at www.cartoonstudies.org

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: THE BRAVE & THE BOLD: BATMAN TEAM-UPS VOL. 2 SC by Dennis O’Neil, Bob Haney, Neil Adams, Nick Cardy, Jim Aparo, and more. Collecting B&B #88-109. Crack cocaine for Silver-Agers. Fun stuff for all ages. Recommended.

STEVE RUDE: ARTIST IN MOTION HC by Steve Rude and John Fleskes. Limited to 1000 copies this book explores the work and philosophy of a master illustrator who still considers himself an “art student.” If you haven’t treated yourself to anything wonderful lately, now is the time. Highly recommended.

THOR #5 by J. Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel. The return of a character who’s been through some changes. If I were Thor I would be having some serious oogies after this issue. Pretty art.

ULTIMATE POWER #9 of 9 by Jeph Loeb and Greg Land. They promise it’s ending this week, hopefully with a big ol’ fight!

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #117 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. This is the final battle between Ultimate Spidey and Ultimate Gobby! For now! Honest! I wonder who wins?

X-MEN #206 by Mike Carey and Chris Bachalo. Okay, so now we know the Mutant Killer Jesus Baby is cute and has the super-power to make Cable mute. Also there’s a mutant-eating dog loose who really needs someone to go Old Yelller on him. And could anyone on the X-teams who isn’t a traitor, please raise your hand? Are they only taking the stupid telepaths now?

Plus, PREVIEWS by Diamond and Marvel. The future is now!

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