Feels like a big week this week! Superman gets the spotlight in “Final Crisis: Superman Beyond,” written by Grant Morrison. Brad Meltzer returns to comics with “DC Universe Last Will and Testament,” drawn by Adam Kubert. Marvel brings some heat as well, as Mark Millar’s “Wolverine” continues, the second part of Amazing Spider-Man’s “New Ways to Die” hits, and Spidey is drawn into Secret Invasion with “Secret Invasion: Spider-Man.” Full list and commentary after the break.
COMIC BOOKS
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #569 NWD
This may be what gets the post-Brand New Day Amazing Spider-Mans going for people. While I, like most people who are sane, had severe problems with “One More Day,” the “Brand New Day” stories have been pretty good so far. “New Ways to Die” seems like it could be one of those Spider-Man stories that really get people talking, even though it seems to me a little more “Maximum Carnage” than “Kraven’s Last Hunt.” Still, I enjoyed the first issue well enough.
AMBUSH BUG YEAR NONE #2 (OF 6)
ANGEL REVELATIONS #4 (OF 5)
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #16 SI
BART SIMPSON COMICS #43
BATMAN GOTHAM AFTER MIDNIGHT #4 (OF 12)
BETTY & VERONICA #237
BLACK PANTHER #40 SI
BLUE BEETLE #30
BRIT #8
CALIBER #5 (OF 5)
CARTOON NETWORK BLOCK PARTY #48
CATWOMAN #82
CITY OF DUST ASHCAN (NET)
DAREDEVIL #110
Final chapter of “Cruel and Unusal,” guest-starring Dakota North.
DAREDEVIL #110 MONKEY VAR
DC UNIVERSE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT #1
This will probably be awfully — serious? I like Meltzer’s books; I liked his Green Arrow. I have very mixed feelings on his high-profile “Identity Crisis.” I like Adam Kubert’s work, though I was frustrated by the lateness of “Action Comics.” This series looks like a bag of mixed feelings for me — so, I’ll at least pick it up and see what I think.
DMZ #34 (MR)
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #8 (RES) (MR)
DOKTOR SLEEPLESS #8 WRAP CVR (RES) (MR)
DRAGONLANCE LEGENDS TIME OF THE TWINS #2 (OF 3)
EMILY THE STRANGE II ALONE ISSUE #4
FALLEN ANGEL IDW #29 (MR)
FAMILY DYNAMIC #1 (OF 3)
FANTASTIC FOUR TRUE STORY #2 (OF 4)
FINAL CRISIS ROGUES REVENGE #2 (OF 3)
The Rogues find themselves hunted by Libra. By Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins. Thought the first issue of this was quite good.
FINAL CRISIS SUPERMAN BEYOND #1 (OF 2)
Comes with a pair of 3-D glasses! I don’t even want to try to summarize the plot description.
GHOST RIDER ANNUAL #2 MERCY
GRAVEL #4 (MR)
GRAVEL #4 WRAP CVR (MR)
GUERILLAS #1 (OF 9)
A troop of trained chimpanzees are sent to Viet Nam during the war. Writer-artist Brahm Revel’s web site is here, if you want to get a feeling for whether this might or might not be your sort of thing.
HALLOWEEN 30TH ANN SP SEELEY CVR A (ONE SHOT)
HALLOWEEN 30TH ANN SP WELDELE CVR B (ONE SHOT)
HAUNT OF HORROR LOVECRAFT #3 (OF 3) (MR)
HAUNT OF HORROR LOVECRAFT #3 (OF 3) (MR)
HERCULES #5 (OF 5)
IGOR MOVIE ADAPTATION #2 (OF 4)
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #18
Duane Swierczynski (CABLE) and Travel Foreman (ARES) create this issue of Danny Rand facing off against an ancient force.
JACK OF FABLES #25 (MR)
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #18
Continuing the Power Girl tale from the annual, and introducing Magog into the DC Universe.
JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #18 VAR ED
KICK ASS #4 (MR)
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #45
LOST BOYS REIGN OF FROGS #4 (OF 4) (MR)
MADAME XANADU #3 (MR)
MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #27
MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #39
MARVEL ADVENTURES SUPER HEROES #2
MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #12
MIGHTY AVENGERS #17 SI
Answering your questions about Captain Marvel! Also revealing the destiny of Marvel Boy. The “Avengers” tie-ins in “Secret Invasion” have been more enjoyable to me than the main series, so I imagine I’ll find this pretty engrossing. (I think the Captain Marvel twist was pretty slick, actually.)
NEW AVENGERS #44 SI
The dark secret of the Illuminati, which could have caused the Secret Invasion. That doesn’t tell me a lot, but again, I have been digging the Avengers tie-ins.
NEW EXILES #10
NEW WARRIORS #15 SI
NEWUNIVERSAL CONQUEROR
NORTHLANDERS #9 (MR)
NOVA #16 SI
PROOF #11 (MR)
REIGN IN HELL #2 (OF 
RUNAWAYS 3 #1
New creative team of Terry Moore and Humberto Ramos! This deserves to sell well; I hope it does.
SECRET HISTORY THE AUTHORITY HAWKSMOOR #6 (OF 6)
SECRET INVASION AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1 (OF 3) SI
I couldn’t tell if Spider-Man was actually IN this from the solicitation… pretty sure Jackpot is, though. After the whole clone business from years ago, there’s no way Spider-Man will have been a Skrull, right?
SHE-HULK 2 #32 MONKEY VAR SI
SHE-HULK 2 #32 SI
SIMPSONS COMICS TREASURE TROVE #1
SKAAR SON OF HULK #3
SONIC X #36
STAR TREK YEAR FOUR ENTERPRISE EXPERIMENT #5
STAR WARS LEGACY #27 (C: 1-0-0)
STAR WARS REBELLION #16 VECTOR PART 8 (OF 12) (C: 1-0-0)
SUPERMAN #679
Continuing the Atlas-Superman throwdown.
SUPERNATURAL RISING SON #5 (OF 6)
TEEN TITANS #62
TEEN TITANS YEAR ONE #6 (OF 6)
THUNDERBOLTS #123 SI
TRANSFORMERS MOVIE SEQUEL REIGN OF STARSCREAM #5
TRINITY #13
The Justice League faces the Crime Syndicate; the Batman family continues to investigate mysterious thefts. Scott McDaniel is rocking the back-up stories.
ULTIMATE IRON MAN II #5 (OF 5)
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #125
ULTIMATE X-MEN #97
VIX #2 (OF 3)
WILDCATS WORLDS END #2
WOLVERINE #68
This continues to make no sense while being eminently readable. Great art by Steve McNiven.
WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #6
Fred Van Lente, pretty much the man.
WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #6 MONKEY VAR
X-FORCE #6 DWS
X-MEN LEGACY #215 MD
ZOMBIE TALES #4
GRAPHIC NOVELS
ALL STAR SUPERMAN TP VOL 01
About the best money you could spend.
APPLESEED TP VOL 03 SCALES OF PROMETHEUS 3RD ED (C: 0-1-2)
ASTOUNDING WOLF MAN TP 01 (RES)
BRAVE AND THE BOLD HC VOL 02 THE BOOK OF DESTINY
I love this stuff; I am saddened that it couldn’t last longer as a Waid-Perez joint.
DAREDEVIL BY BENDIS OMNIBUS HC VOL 1
Can’t go wrong with these comics; was Bendis the first to really escape the shadow of Frank Miller on this character? (I know somebody’s going to say Kevin Smith.)
EC ARCHIVES TALES FROM THE CRYPT HC VOL 03 (C: 0-1-2)
FANTASTIC FOUR VISIONARIES WALT SIMONSON TP VOL 02
Underrated comics written and drawn by Simonson.
FOUNDATION TP
JLA DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 01
A deluxe version of the Grant Morrison-Howard Porter run, collecting issues 1-9 and JLA Secret Origins.
MARVEL ADVENTURES IRON MAN TP VOL 03 DIGEST
METAL MEN HC
MMW GOLDEN AGE MARVEL COMICS HC VOL 03
NEW WARRIORS TP VOL 02 THRASHED
OFF HB MARVEL UNIV A TO Z PREM HC VOL 04
SHE-HULK TP VOL 06 JADED
SLOW STORM GN
STAR WARS KNIGHTS O/TOLD
SUICIDE SQUAD FROM THE ASHES TP
SURREAL ADVENTURES OF EDGAR ALLAN POO GN VOL 02 (C: 0-1-2)
TEMPLESMITH ART OF WORMWOOD GENTLEMAN CORPSE SC (C: 0-1-2)
TERRY MOORES ECHO TP VOL 01
Sort of a mix between Moore’s “Strangers in Paradise” and “Witchblade,” with some “X-Files” thrown in for good measure. I like it.
UNDERSEA ADV OF CAPTAIN ELI GN (C: 0-1-2)
Fun all-ages stuff with a Jonny Quest vibe.
WHITE RAPIDS GN
WOLVERINE LOGAN PREMIERE HC
“100 Bullets” artist Eduardo Risso joins “Y: The Last Man” writer Brian K. Vaughan for a more mature take on Wolverine.
X-MEN LEGACY PREM HC VOL 01 DIVIDED HE STANDS
X-MEN TP VOL 03 COMPLETE ONSLAUGHT EPIC
August 26th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Not to nitpick, but isn’t the Logan trade written by Brian k Vaughn?
I loved your comments. I agree with the “New Ways to Die”: One More Day was a travesty, a holocaust of everything good and right in Spideyville. Brand New Day, as it’s gone, has been more than enjoyable. it’s been pretty Amazing. BUT… i still don’t see why OMD had to happen. EVERY SINGLE STORY they’ve told, Spidey could still be married.
It’s just weak.
Lots of Crisis tie ins. Those look good. As do the Avengers SI books. though I think the big two should work on thier week-to-week ratio.
Three Avengers books in one week? Can’t we spread those out? Same with the Superman and Beyond? Aren’t there enough weeks in a month to spread out the goodness?
I’m wary of Runaways. I love the series, wasn’t a huge fan of Joss’s arc (probably should read it in one sitting), and Terry’s Spidey Loves MJ didn’t grab me like I hope. That said, I enjoy his Echo, and i’ll pick up Runaways anyways.
And I can’t wait for the Daredevil Omnibus that I cannot afford. I love Bendis’s run. Phenomenal.
August 27th, 2008 at 9:10 am
No, you’re right. I couldn’t figure out a way to do the markthrough editing and make the grammar work, so I’ve just fixed it, above. Must have been doing too many things at once, yesterday.
-Matt