The Best of the Best - January 2010

Getting this out early. Here's a sampling of what struck my fancy in this week's Previews, books to be released for January 2010. No mention of the Blackest Night skip month as we talked about it a few weeks ago. Much of this will be discussed on the podcast this weekend with special guest Jared from Who Cares What You Think Podcast. Onto January's books:

Blackest Night: the Flash #2 (page 59): Look at the sweet cover! One day I shall get my Captain Cold series by Geoff Johns and Scott Kollins




Batman & Robin #7 (page 71): Purposely skipped last month for some reason that MAY Blackest Night related as this arc is called "Blackest Knight." Awesome to see Cameron Stewart with Grant Morrison again.




All-Star Superman vol. 2 TPB (page 87): I'm down with Grant Morrison. Not everything (Batman RIP) but most of it. Glad to see this getting the softcover treatment.




Hitman: 10,000 Bullets TPB (page 88): Garth Ennis's Hitman is FINALLY getting back into print. I need to fill in the holes on my book shelf!




Joe the Barbarian (page 108): More Grant Morrison! Scoff away! It's an interesting premise, an eight issue maxi series and the first issue is a DOLLAR! At least give it a try!




the Losers vol. 1 & 2 (page 114): I missed out on this initially and I became a late fan of Andy Diggle with the Green Arrow: Year One book and have been following him on Thunderbolts and Daredevil. And appearantly, this is being made into a movie.




the Walking Dead #69 (page 157): I don't mention this book enough here or in the podcast. This book rocks every month in it's bleakness and depression. And those are the strong points. THE book I look forward to the most every month.




SEIGE!(page M4-M10): For those of you who heard episode #13 of the podcast, you know I checked out Dark Avengers #10 and really dug it. So much so, I'm searching out the past non-Utopia issues and Seige as well. My only real concern with all this is Bendis himself said (words to the effect of) "People are sick of huge crossovers so we're keeping this event to four issues." Which is correct, IF you don't count the OTHER four issue mini series, the three additional one shots and the three Avengers books it's crossing over into, it's nearly the size of Blackest Night. This is the return to the Avengers of Captain America, Thor and Iron Man. I'll be checking out the Bendis written stuff at least.




Amazing Spider-Man #617-619 (page M21-M23): The Gauntlet continues as the old Spidey villains come back, bigger and badder. This month, it's the Rhino and Mysterio.




Black Widow: Deadly Origins #3 (page 30): There's something about this cover that is just odd to me. Maybe because most of Adi Granov's covers were on cosmic stuff.




Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man #59 (page M47): Outside of Scott Kollins, Scottie Young is probably my favorite current comic artist. This cover looks like som much fun!




Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #7 (page M71): Speaking of fun, this is the begining of the Deadpool Corps! I get the joke of Deadpool and I'm finally glad that Marvel does as well.




Star Trek Captain's Log: Sulu (page 241): I'd don't follow Star Trek very closely and their comics even less. But it's George Takai! Oh my!

The Best of the Best - Previews for December 2009

A rather light month, at least for me. We'll touch on all this on the podcast this weekend, but here's my jump start:

Empowered one shot (page 26): previously only collected as black and white digest sized dealies, angled towards the Manga crowd, I guess. Very excited to see Adam Warren's awesome art in full color and can only hope this is the begining of an ongoing series.




Green Lantern Corps #43 (page 61): Spoilers away! It's on the cover but should be no surprise the Guy Garnder is going to be a Red Lantern. That cover rules...




Blackest Night: the Flash #1 (page 62): ..but not as much as this one! Geoff Johns and Scott Kollins return to the Flash, spinning out of Rebirth, crossing into Blackest Night right into the new Flash ongoing in April!




JSA All-Stars #1 (page 86): Not sure why people are in a tizzy about this. Both Bill Willingham and Matt Sturgis all but hinted at this in their initial interview when they took over the book.




Captain America: Who Will Wield the Shield (page M6): I like that cute rhyming thing with the title. This obviously means that Captain America: Reborn doesn't answer this question. Kinda like War of Kings:Who will Rule.




Thunderbolts #139 (page M50): With Jeff Parker taking over this book (I think his first issue comes out this week) I'm happy to see the Agents of Atlas showing up here.




Mini Marvels Ultimate Collection GN-TPB (page M100): Surprised to see this getting a reprint like this, with Super Hero Squad or whatever taking over this spot on the Marvel shevles. If I didn't already have all the digests, I'd be getting this.




Brian Michael Bendis: 10 Years at Marvel TPB (page M115): We end with a very odd collection. It could be argued that Bendis really turned things around for Marvel, starting with Ultimate Spider-Man. I've kinda fallen off from his super-hero stuff but could read things like Alias or Torso over and over again. Fourtune & Glory (which is great) is getting the hardcover treatment this month as well.

The Best of the Best - Previews for November 2009

The Three Guys from Nowhere show will be late this week (like Sunday late) so I figured I had time to put this together. Also, going to see Rob Zombie Presents Halloween 2 this weekend so that may get discussed on the show as well. Email us with feedback! ThreeGuysfromNowhere@gmail.com!

Dark Horse One-Shot Wonders (page 23): a really neat idea by Dark Horse, giving single issue stories for exisiting characters (Star Wars and the Goon this month). Check out this cover:




Dark Horse wins two months in a row for best cover!

Great Ten #1 (page 82): a 10-issue maxi series of characters that debuted in 52 over three years ago and DC hasn't done anything of note with since. Maybe now's the time.




Batman: the Cat and the Bat TPB (page 90): this collects issues #17-21 of Batman Confidential with tons of great Kevin Maguire art. If you missed it the first time, don't miss it now!




Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love (page 116): a miniseries spinning out from the cool prior one off stories from the main Fables book about Cindy being the best spy ever. However, not being written by Bill Willingham has me a bit leary.




Image United (page 136): All the original Image creators (sans Jim Lee) return for the big crossover of all the original Image characters, written by Robert Kirkman. Unfortunately, I just don't care.




BOOM! Kids Line (page 218): Joining the exisiting Incredibles ongoing and the new Disney license (Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck books) this month sees the addition of Toy Story, Cars, Muppet Show and WALL-E ongoings. This is where the future is people!




Amazing Spider-Man #611 (page M18): Joe Kelly returns to the character everyone loves (NOW!), Deadpool! Teaming up with Spidey! To take on Lady Stilt-Man! If it wasn't for that Poop Potato cover this month, this would have been my favorite!




Amazing Spider-Man #612 & #613 (page M19): And then Mark Waid brings back all the classic Spidey villains, starting with Electro! The Spider-Man books have been awesome of late!




Black Widow: Deadly Origins #1 (page M25): the rollout for Iron Man 2 begin here! With Black Widow and Whiplash (also featured in another mini this month) as the lead villains in the next Iron Man movie, they also get some face time in real Marvel U. Luckily, with Paul Cornell as the writer of this one, chances are it'll be pretty good.




Realm of Kings (page M49-M51): as one door closes (War of Kings), another opens (Realm of Kings). I got no problem with the continuation of the Marvel cosmic stuff as these aren't the same type of "events" we get elsewhere (see the X-Universe).




Strange (page M53): Mark Waid (he's very busy at Marvel) tackles what Stephen Strange is up to now that he's not Sorcerer Supreme. The last Strange mini series was written by Brian K Vaughn and I'm sure Waid will deliver a really cool story.




Deadpool Team-Up #899 (page M62): A THIRD Deadpool ongoing? Mike Sterling over at Progressive Ruin stated this is like "cutting open the goose to get those golden egss faster".
I'm not sure if I entirely agree as I'm a tried and true Wade fan and as long as the stories are good, I'll keep buying them!




PunisherMAX #1 (page M75): I guess it's all together as one word, pronounced really fast. Jokes aside, I'm pumped for Jason Aaron taking this title on. u>Scalped is great and his Ghost Rider stuff has been really good too.




Deadpool Classics vol. 3 TPB (page M107): More DEADPOOL! Every month is Deadpool month! I already have these is single issues but the fact they are FINALLY getting put back into print means everyone should buy them!

The Best of the Rest - Previews for October 2009

Tons of notes for the podcast and didn't get to everything I wanted to talk about from Previews. I know this i nothing new, every comic blogger does this, and now so do I:

Conan the Cimmerian #15 (page 26): I don't read Conan, but look at this cover:

Flipping ridiculous

the Escapist tpb (page 33): Such a great book from Brian K Vaughan, getting back in print. Everyone should check this out!

World's Finest #1 (page 77): Sterling Gates, Geoff Johns' protege, tackling the new Nightwing (Chris Kent) and Red Robin (Tim Drake) teaming up.

Justice League of America #38 (page 86): James Robinson and Mark Bagley take over the mail JL book. It's supposed to tie into Justice League: Cry for Justice, which is on issue 4 of a 7 issue mini series.

Haunt #1 (pages 135-140): As mentioned in the 'cast, I'll check out anything Robert Kirkman writes, but the premise is kinda cheesy and the art team, specifically Todd McFarlane on inks, doesn't give me hope that it will come out on time.

OZ: the Wonderful Wizard of Oz HC (page M4): the Marvel Classics oversized hard cover of the Wizard of Oz story. However, it has lovely Skottie Young art, so count me in.

Web of Spider-Man #1 (page M22): Taking the old Spider-Man Family book and trying to trick me into buying it? I came back to Amazing Spider-Man after all you've done. Don't push your luck!

Daredevil #501 (pages M31-M32): Angy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre, after much delays (issue #500, the List one shot) finally gets his new start on Daredevil. I've been following DD loyally for sometime and Diggle & De La Torre are a great match for this book.

Guardians of the Galaxy #19 (page M38): I dig Kang. I dig the Guardians. Pair em up, and I'm there!

Deadpool Month? (pages M71-M74): We have FIVE Deadpool books this month? Included in that a poster book and a Marvel Spotlight? Reaching issue #900? If this is what I get for you-know-who playing Wade in the Wolverine movie, I'm cool with that!

Stumptown #1 (page 294): Greg Rucka with a creator owned crime book from ONI. That sells itself.

Barbie Twilight Dolls (page 369): Ugh...

Comics to Come - August 2009

The physical Previewas book isn't on the shelves for another two weeks, but the big two (DC and Marvel) and the medium two (Image and Dark Horse) already have their solicitations for the month of August online. Let's dive in shall we:

- Captain Britain & MI13 is cancelled (with no solict announcement) with LAST month's issue. Paul Cornell, the writer, posted on his blog about it today. Sad to see it go.

- Daredevil #500 finally out (with no book last month) as Brubaker's last issue bridging to Andy Diggle's run. I've been collecting Daredevil continuously since Karl Kesel was on the book in 1996/1997 and love that it gets such great writers.

- Marvel Spotlight: Summer Events. Why does this make the list you ask? Is it that the original Human Torch is back? Already on it. How about the new creative team on Fantastic Four? Dale Eaglesham drawing a regular book, scooped up! "the REAL Clone Saga laid bare!" with Scarlet Spider on the cover! Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!

- the Marvel Bromance trade. A collection of random stories of pairing of your Marvel favs! No forward by Brodie Jenner though...

- The Green Lantern Blackest Night train of six books a month from now until February 2010 rolls on. Not sure about the writer on BN: Titans, but I'm a completist.

- Another Kevin Smith Batman series with art by Walt Flanagan. I liked the first one, for what it's worth and was really surprised by Flanagan's art.

- The main Bat-universe books churn out another #1, Batgirl with an uknown quantity as writer and under the cowl. It's not Judd Winick, so I'll give it a read.

- Adventure Comics #1 spinning out of the long delayed Legion of 3 Worlds written by Geoff Johns and backups featuring Starman (no, not that one).

- Big, giant Superman crossover this month with annuals, Secret Files & another Jimmy Olsen Special. Great writers and my love of Superman will keep me involved.

- Doom Patrol! Written by Keith Giffen & JM DeMatties! Co-feature of the Metal Men! With art by Kevin Maguire! Exclamation points!

- Peter & Max: A Fables Novel. Ballsy move DC. That's quite the high price, but I'm used to buying funny books.