QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 01-28-09

QUICK REVIEWS FOR COMICS DUE 01-28-09
By John Judy

(Happy Year of the Ox!)

AMERICAN BORN CHINESE SC by Gene Luen Yang. An award-winning trilogy of intertwining stories from an Asian-America perspective, now available in softcover. Good for tweens and up. Recommended.

AVENGERS INITIATIVE #21 by Christos Gage and Humberto Ramos. The evil cyborg Thor clone is back from the dead and ready to… well, probably die again because he was never much of a long-term planner. As they say, “There are old cyborg Thor clones and there are bold cyborg Thor clones, but there are no old, bold cyborg Thor clones.” Okay, I made that up. Sorry.

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #1 by Matt Wayne, Andy Suriano and Dan Davis. The companion comic to the hit Cartoon Network series, suitable for all ages and (brace yourselves) a Batman comic currently featuring Batman! I like that it’s written by a guy named Wayne. Seriously, that’s just cool.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #46 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. Bucky America and the Sub-Mariner go to China to rescue the original Human Torch’s corpse from the commies. As well they should!

CRIMINAL, VOL. 4: BAD NIGHT SC by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Jacob, the widower, ex-forger and hapless cartoonist of “Frank Kafka, Private Eye” has a bad night or three. Featuring dark secrets, triple-crosses and more brutal cops than you can shake a plumbers helper at. Highly recommended.

DAREDEVIL #115 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. It’s good old-fashioned DD beats up a ton of ninjas action! For them that likes it!

FANTASTIC FOUR #563 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch. The Thing gives his girlfriend a big rock. Shaddup.

FINAL CRISIS #7 of 7 by Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke. The end of the multiverse-shaking event that has been almost completely ignored by every other title in the DCU. But at least Barry Allen’s back.

FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS #5 of 5 by Greg Rucka and Philip Tan. In which we find out if the Spectre is finally gonna ghost-up and smack Vandal “Cain” Savage so hard his mark falls off. Fingers crossed.

GARTH ENNIS BATTLEFIELDS: DEAR BILLY #1 of 3 by Garth Ennis and Peter Snejbjerg. A nurse during the Japanese invasion of Singapore finds herself with a chance to revenge herself. What to do? What to do? Recommended.

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #23 Geoff Johns, Alex Ross and Dale Eaglesham. Having finally dispensed with the not so al-powerful Gog, the JSA is faced with the return of Black Adam and his undead wife Isis. Lotsa fights.

MARVELS EYE OF CAMERA #3 of 6 by Kurt Busiek and Jay Anacleto. Cancerous shutterbug Phil Sheldon meets the grim-n-gritty types of the Marvel Yoo. Yeah, that’ll help with the positive visualization. “Phil, imagine the cancer is a punk and you’re the Punisher…” Actually a very fine comic, especially for a sequel. Read MARVELS and then give it a whirl.

NEW AVENGERS #49 by Brian Michael Bendis and Billy Tan. Luke Cage has made a deal to get his kidnapped daughter back. The terms are not great.

NORTHLANDERS #14 by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly. The slaughter of Ragnar’s Viking occupiers by the native Irish rebel Magnus continues. Recommended.

PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES GN written and drawn by Ben Templesmith. I’ll let Mr. Templesmith speak for himself on this one: “All 43 ( well, technically 42, but Cleveland served two nonconsecutive terms ) plus, technically, I think the 44th as well will be in time for printing. A portrait each, plus some facts. Especially about some of the lesser known ones. Damn some were sick/quirky/weird bastards.” Highly recommended.

PREVIEWS by Marvel and Diamond Comics. Let the veils of time and space be parted that we may see the comics racks of three months hence! Like a crystal ball you don’t need to worry about the cat knocking over!

PUNISHER WAR ZONE #6 of 6 by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. The final issue. Duck and cover!

THE STAND: CAPTAIN TRIPS #5 of 5 by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Mike Perkins. Ladies and gentlemen (those of you who aren’t dead from the super-flu), meet Randall Flagg, the Dark Man, the Walking Dude, the Hard Case. You need to read this.

STREETS OF GLORY SC by Garth Ennis and Mike Wolfer. Garth’s violent meditation on the death of the Old West and the illusory nature of its icons. Not for kids.

UNKNOWN SOLDIER #4 by Joshua Dysart and Alberto Ponticelli. Dr. Moses leaves his old identity further and further behind as the need for the Soldier in him grows greater. Brutal stuff, not for kids. Recommended.

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