QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 09-24-08

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 09-24-08
By John Judy

ABSOLUTE RONIN HC written and illustrated by pre-psychotic Frank Miller. It’s awesome! The savage six-issue story of a psychokinetic, cyborg samurai, first published in 1983 back when Miller was only 26. What happened? Oh yeah….

ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN #10-B by Frank Miller and Jim Lee. Well it took ‘em two weeks but they finally got enough soap to wash out Frank Miller’s mouth. What a (redacted)!

AVENGERS INITIATIVE #17 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage and Stefano Caselli. The Skrulls get their big green heinies handed to them by the good ol’ U.S. Avengers!

BACK TO BROOKLYN #1 of 5 by Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti. How would you kill every crime crew in Brooklyn if you absolutely had to? This is a PUNISHER story so gruesome Marvel wouldn’t publish it. Recommended but not for kids or before meals.

BLACK PANTHER #41 by Jason Aaron and Jefte Palo. The Skrulls have T’Challa right where he wants them. Time to serve it up Wakanda-style!

CAPTAIN AMERICA #42 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. The Red Skull just can’t get good help these days. It’s an on-going problem when the only people who will work for you are drug-addled white supremacists and Scientists who are, technically, well y’know “Mad.” Anyway, the adventures of Bucky America continue to entertain. Recommended.

DAREDEVIL #111 by Ed Brubaker and Clay Mann. In which we meet Lady Bullseye and it’s a lot less horrible than that sounds. Also Matt does something so wrong it’s right. Good stuff.

FANTASTIC FOUR #560 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. Some time-travel business supposedly tied into the “death” of the Invisible Woman. Who even knew she was sick?!

HELLBOY: THE CROOKED MAN #3 of 3 by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben. In which we learn that hillbilly country is about the last place in the world where people are still dumb enough to sell their souls to the Devil. Do they not get “Twilight Zone” reruns up there?

HULK #6 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. Red Hulk! Green Hulk! Smash! Man, this thing writes itself!

IMMORTAL IRON FIST: ORSON RANDALL AND THE DEATH QUEEN OF CALIFORNIA #1 by Duane Swiercynski and Guiseppe Camuncoli. Yeah, I dated her… Recommended.

NEW AVENGERS #45 by Brian Michael Bendis and Jim Cheung. In which we learn what happened to the Secret Invasion Skrulls during the House of M. And possibly Heroes Reborn, Operation Galactic Storm and Atlantis Attacks. But not Countdown. IT NEVER HAPPENED!

NORTHLANDERS #10 by Brian Wood and Dean Ormston. A young boy gets to live his dream of watching Vikings destroy his hated hometown. A must for everyone who was ever The Last One Picked for Kickball. No, seriously, this series is a gem and you should give it a read. Highly recommended.

PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. Find what you want for the holidays here!

RUNAWAYS #2 by Terry Moore and Humberto Ramos. Karolina Dean like, gets totally blamed for like, eradicating a whole planet of aliens which she like, totally did not do! Duh, angry space people! I am totally flaming you on MySpace about this!

SOLOMON KANE #1 of 5 by Scott Allie and Mario Guevara. A really well-drawn revival of Robert E. Howard’s other famous pulp creation, a tough as nails 17th century Puritan who mows through evil like a pinch-faced terminator. Definitely worth a look.

SUPERMAN #680 by James Robinson and Renato Guedes. Krypto vs. Atlas! Arf!

THUNDERBOLTS #124 by Christos Gage and Fernando Blanco. The T-Bolts fight the Skrulls for control of Washington D.C. But where do they stand on flag-burning?! Ya remember flag-burning?! Ah the good old days…

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #126 by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen. Ultimate Spidey-Venom fights the Ultimates and tries to eat them. Big, hungry fight.

ULTIMATES 3 #5 of 5 by Jeph Loeb and Joe Madureira. In which we finally learn who killed the Scarlet Witch. Featuring robot duplicates and revolting plot points involving Quicksilver and SW engaging in the West Virginia State Sport. Yuck.

WOLVERINE: ROAR #1 by Duane Swiercynski and Mike Deodato. A stand-alone story about Wolverine and a vicious animal. But I repeat myself…

WOLVERINE ORIGINS #28 by Daniel Way and Mike Deodato. A story which firmly establishes Wolverine as a mass murderer of innocents and Professor X as a guy who looks the other way. Gee, now if only the X-Men can be ret-conned into Satanist pedophiles Mr. Way’s work will be complete.

X-MEN LEGACY #216 by Mike Carey and Phil Briones. Emma Frost psychically violates Professor X’s mind because she’s a twisted, sadistic witch. Pardon me. “Because it’s for his own good.” Pots and kettles all around! Hoo-ha!

www.johnjudy.net