This Week In Comics: 05/24/2006

[Clayface]

Welcome to This Week in Comics for May 24th, 2006 - May 30th, 2006!

This is the place to discuss the comics you've bought this week, whether it be a brand new title or old back-issues. We also welcome and encourage talk about comics in general - news you've read on comic news sites, the state of the industry in general, upcoming issues you're excited about, etc. All we ask is that you please use spoiler brackets in the event that your comments get too detailed concerning a particular storyline. This way the book won't be ruined for anyone who hasn't read it yet.

For a list of the new items shipping this week, please consult Diamond Comics' Shipping List (http://www.diamondcomics.com/shipping/shipping_052406.txt).

To find a comic book store near you, check out the Comic Shop Locator Service (http://csls.diamondcomics.com/).


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Highlights of the Week!



Ace the Bathound's Picks:

http://static.flickr.com/46/152433873_f84c0be922_o.jpg (http://www.imagecomics.com/schedule.php)....http://www.moonstonebooks.com/images/banzaiposter.jpg (http://www.milehighcomics.com/firstlook/051706/dmz7cvr.html)
Disney's DuckTales Stories Vol.1...........Buckaroo Banzai #1.....



Clayface's Pick:

http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0506/X_FAC_COV007catalogue_sm.jpg (http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?id=4211)
X-Factor #7



wonderfly's Pick:

http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0506/DD_085_sm.jpg
Daredevil #85




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[Condiment King]

Civil War 1 – This is set up to be better than House of M, but I don't know how much that says. The general idea isn't really all that interesting, but I like the focus that Mark Millar has in this opening issue. Most writers tend to force a really broad scope on a narrow topic, merely because its a universe-wide crossover. I won't be bothering with any of the tie-ins (as I didn't with House of M), but I will read this series most likely out of curiosity. ***

Daredevil 85 – Ed Brubaker's "Devil in Cell Block D" continues. I'm really interested to see where the Punisher goes in all this. We've established and already know how deadly he can be, whereas Matt Murdock has ascerted that he isn't the Punisher. Through some of Matt's actions in this issue, it doesn't seem that Matt has completely lost it yet. I'm just surprised that through everything that has happened to him (from his relationships to Foggy to prison to the Kingpin), that he has any sort of sanity at all left. ****

Ex Machina 20 – Eh I don't know. I still don't get all the hub-bub about this comic. I mean, its mildly interesting and provides a pretty good story, but it never really captures me to the point where it deserves all the hype. Other hyped comics have elicited this reaction from me (The Walking Dead does, Invincible may still, and Y - The Last Man used to), but never Ex Machina. The same remains here. ***

Green Lantern 11 – Am I the only one that nerded out to the events in this issue? First of all, Tomar Tu is back, and we learn that several of the Lanterns that we thought Hal Jordan killed are still alive. Secondly, CYBORG SUPERMAN!! Never mind my hestitations about this comic and One Year Later, obviously Geoff Johns has taken this mediocre plot device and forged it into greatness.

Before, I disliked the whole "Corps hating Hal Jordan because of his time as Parallax" angle because none of these Corps members were even around when it happened. It seems like they shouldn't have this type of emotional investment in the situation, no matter how many postmortem stories of heroism they've heard about their predecessor. But all of a sudden, with the recent plot developments, I'm digging in. Not to the point where Hal Jordan is a felon among the Corps, but I can buy that Hal is stirring up trouble and might not be the most well liked. *****

Ion 1 – I like the Kyle Rayner character, don't get me wrong, but this first issue just didn't capture me. I'm also confused as to why DC Comics is doing this to Kyle Rayner. There's plenty of focus available for Kyle and John to appear in Green Lantern and the upcoming Corps title, but they decide to take Kyle back down this alley. At least last time, there was a good plot behind it. This time, its just feels unnecessary to me. Its like "A Day in the Life of Kyle Rayner: Part 1 of 6". I don't hate it, I'm just confused. ***

Squadron Supreme 3 – I'll echo my previous feelings that this title hasn't been as good in its new incarnation. I refuse to believe the argument, though, that its because its not a MAX title anymore. Its just the stories haven't been as strong now that the team is completely together. This issue also featured a really long preachy diatribe about the African plight. As noble as the message from JMS might be, its not why I buy Squadron Supreme. **

[wonderfly]

GAH!!! Previews magazine came out today, and whatever you do, don't flip through the Marvel's section! There's a huge spoiler for Runaways in there, (it's pretty obvious which Runaway will die at the current storyline's end)... Dammit, Marvel, can't you figure out how to keep from giving spoilers?!?

[Damien]

Picked up:

-new issue of Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis

-few other Aquaman comics, including a couple from the 70s and the one from 1997 when he battles Triton

-Deathstroke the Terminator #1

-Green Lantern #196 from 1985, announcing Guy Gardner as the new GL

-2099 Unlimited #1, the debut of Hulk 2099

-Doom 2099 #18, unopened with some poster


Ion 1 – I like the Kyle Rayner character, don't get me wrong, but this first issue just didn't capture me. I'm also confused as to why DC Comics is doing this to Kyle Rayner. There's plenty of focus available for Kyle and John to appear in Green Lantern and the upcoming Corps title, but they decide to take Kyle back down this alley. At least last time, there was a good plot behind it. This time, its just feels unnecessary to me. Its like "A Day in the Life of Kyle Rayner: Part 1 of 6". I don't hate it, I'm just confused. ***
They've done it before? I thought the whole concept was pretty cool...but they've done it before? Agh...what was the story with that?

[Condiment King]

They've done it before? I thought the whole concept was pretty cool...but they've done it before? Agh...what was the story with that?
Well, sort of. I don't know if the nature of his powers are the same as before (before being Green Lantern v3 145-150) in which Kyle Rayner had seemingly limitless powers as an omnipotent god of some sorts. I'm not entirely sure that his powers now aren't pretty much the same as say, when Alan Scott didn't need a ring to be a Green Lantern.

At the same time, his costume has changed and he now goes by the same moniker as the aforementioned time when he was an omnipotent god.

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

Ooh, look, interviews with 2 of my favorite creators! Dan Slott talks about his Two-Gun Kid special (http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/TwoGun/preview.html) for the "Marvel Westerns" comic coming soon, and even brings along preview pages and details how it will tie in to She-Hulk. Yee-haw, pardner!

Meanwhile, Matt Wagner talks about Batman and the Mad Monk (http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/August06previews/WagnerMadMonk.html), the follow-up 6-issue mini-series that will follow up Batman and the Monster Men. Which rocked. He also brings along preview pages for the Mad Monk #1. Note that the interview contains a few minor spoilers for the storyline, but if you've ever read the original stories on which Wagner's mini-series is based, there isn't anything there that you don't already know.

Also worthy of note is the fact that the New York Comic-Con has announced details for next year's show (http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71650). The good news is that the show is slated to have a larger exhibition space and the organizers are promising a better experience for comic book fans everywhere. The bad news is that it's still scheduled for the end of February. That hike from Penn Station to the Javits was COLD last year!

-- Ed

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

Month-to-month sales numbers:

Marvel Month-to-Month for March 2006 (http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=005171)

DC & Everyone Else MtM for March 2006 (http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=005172)

-- Ed

[ThePeterNetwork]

Also worthy of note is the fact that the New York Comic-Con has announced details for next year's show (http://www.newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71650). The good news is that the show is slated to have a larger exhibition space and the organizers are promising a better experience for comic book fans everywhere. The bad news is that it's still scheduled for the end of February. That hike from Penn Station to the Javits was COLD last year!

Although the NYCC drew a slew of fans, most of whom did not get in, I seriously do not believe that Reed Exhibitiors should hold NYCC again. Not after what they did.

Or are long lines, clueless staff, and crowded exhibitor space normal for your average comic book convention? I know Big Apple Con isn't like that.

[Spider-Man]

This was a pretty small week so I was able to pick up a few extras things besides the regular books. I also traded in my older trade of X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga for a new edition. I also picked up the new X-Men: Evolution DVD and caught X-Men 3: The Last Stand over the weekend. Overall it has been a pretty good week!

New Avengers #19 (talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=167247))
Batman #653 (talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=167248))
Wolverine #42 (talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=167246))
X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga (talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=158109))
X-Men: Evolution - The Complete Third Season (talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=167140))
X-Men 3: The Last Stand (talkback (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=167385))

My comic store was all out of copies of Daredevil #85 and Robin #150 so I have to wait until they order those in before I can put my two cents in about those books. Since I've cut back on a few titles (namely some of the Spider-Man books) I have a bit more money to pick up a few extra trades so I hope to be able to start reading a few new series this summer).