Comic Book Resources

Don't bother with any of the new Flash titles. Just wait a year until the re-re-re-launch:

The All-New All-Flash All-Fastest Men in the World. #351. Starring Barry Allen, Jay Garrick, Wally West and the Tornado Twins. And Max Mercury as the Beav.

What's your policy on Annihilation, because there's the Gage-penned Quasar mini right there.

Past that, there's the FVL-penned Super-villain Team Up: Modok's 11.

It's 2007. Follow the writer and you shall be lead to good comics.

Avengers Classic #2.

I'm really enjoying Waid and Perez's Brave & Bold.

I'm going to suggest MODOK'S 11 as well, the preview art looked gorgeous and the Blogdok promotion Marvel's been doing as a tie-in has been hilarious.

As another suggestion, since you've already picked up the other 3 core X-Books, why not look into New X-Men? It's probably the most underrated of the current X-Books despite consistently being better than anything Brubaker's written since taking over Uncanny, and so far this arc has been worth it just for Skottie Young and Niko Henrichon's art.

Aside from that, if you haven't read it, The Hood collection is really worth checking out. It's probably one of my favorite things Vaughn's ever written, and Hotz's artwork fits the tone of the series perfectly.

Oops. typo. led, not lead.

Anyway, New X-Men IS good, but I think it's in the midst of an arc.

I'll also second a suggestion for the Hood collection. What a great mini no one ever got to read.

I think that All Flash could be interesting, especially if you have any attachment to the characters. Beyond that, its probably going to be a crapshoot.

Annihilation: Conquest - Quasar #1 could be really good. Thus far, Annihilation: Conquest is even better than the original stellar event and if this is half as good as Wraith was, it'll be worth picking up.

I'd also recommend MODOK's 11 #1. MODOK is worth it alone, plus it has a solid creative team and an interesting premise.

I'm going with the Super-Villain Team Up: MODOK's 11 #1 too. The concept is cool, Van Lente is great and the preview art was sharp. This one is a keeper!

Best,
Hunter (Pedro Bouça)

I should have mentioned that yeah, New X-Men is in the middle of an arc, but it's only been 2 issues so far (3 if you count the prologue) and it's not exactly inaccessibly dense or anything.

Birds of Prey...Gail Simone's final issue, Oracle vs. Spy Smasher, and from what was said at the DC panel last month, the revelation on what the heck Misfit is supposed to be. I don't know how McKeever will do on the title, but Gail raised the bar significantly.

Wow. So many good comics you're NOT buying this week, that I really don't know where to begin.

I'd offer up Annihilation Conquest: Quasar, but since you haven't been reading any of the books, I'd hesitate to recommend you starting with this one.

Avengers Classic #2, if even half as good as last issue, should be a great read.

Hello, Birds of Prey? Gail Simone comes to the end of one of the greatest modern runs on any non-creator-owned titles. Also one of the longest.

Still no love for Brave and the Bold? Why?

But, in the end, if I could only influence you to buy one single issue of any comic being released in periodical format this week, I'd say: MODOK's 11!!! With a title like THAT, how could it be anything SHORT (get it?) of excellent?

Damn it, I missed MODOK's 11. Of course I'm buying that!!!! Sheesh - I'll add it to the list.

It's a tossup between The Brave and the Bold #5 and Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #4. LSH31C #3 was one of the better new Legion comics I've read in quite a while, and I'm looking forward to this one... but B&B #5 has Perez drawing the threeboot Legion and Batman sharing a body with Tharok. I'm going to recommend B&B #5, but it's close.

I'm getting: Action, Flash, Birds of Prey, Black Canary, Checkmate, Countdown, Programme, Shazam and the Monster Society, the Spirit, Godland, and The Order.

In other words, I'm buying too much...

hell get Flash.

Friendly Neighborhood is about to end, so there's not much point in picking it up now. And if I had to pick up an ish, it'd be next month's, with the confrontation between Peter and Jonah.

So, for this week, I shall recommend Brave & The Bold. The Legion and Bat-Tharok. Oughta be fun.

Great thinking. You must be close to a MODOK yourself! Not quite though, or you'd never have committed the omission in the first place.

Since that's now a moot recommendation, I'd reiterate my suggestion regarding Gail Simone's final issue on Birds of Prey. No way can Tony do as well as Gail has, and if you love her, you'll buy this.

Diana Kingston Gabay has a pre-release copy of All Flash, and has it reviewed over at the all-new all-different (well, not really) Savage Critics, now found at savagecritic.com

She didn't like it that much (EH), though she's a manga girl mostly, so what would SHE know?

I'm trusting her on it, though.

I'd rather read a Tony Bedard or Sean McKeever comic than a Gail Simone comic, all other things equal.

But that's just me. Personal tastes and all.

So Modok's moot?

Back to Annihilation: Quasar.

In Cosmic Joan of Arc we trust.

I'm more excited about the other Ottiviana release, Wire Mothers - but I haven't read it, so I wouldn't call it a "recommendation".

Other things I'm looking forward to that aren't on your list are WWH:X-Men, Quasar (Gage is on roll these days), BoP (go save Wonder Woman, Gail. PLEASE!) and Hack/Slash.

But I'm going to say...buy Texas Strangers #2. The first issue didn't blow me away, but I liked it. The premise is novel and the art is a perfect fit for the story. Smart all-ages books need your support.

My bad, it was Johanna, not Diana. Rhyming names and what not. Sorry for the confusion.

Let's not forget:

Ultimate Spider-man # 111 the final issue by Mark Bagley and the first issue by Stuart immonen.

Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears # 6 the final issue.

Conan # 42 More re-imagining barbaric tales.

Prison Break Official Magazine # 5 (everything you want to know about your favorite escapees).

While it's not really in comic format, Intersections is from Image and is an art book featuring Sean Phillips and Duncan Fegredo, both excellent artists.

Hello, Birds of Prey? Gail Simone comes to the end of one of the greatest modern runs on any non-creator-owned titles.

Wow, I disagree with that entirely. It's okay, but certainly nowhere near the level of "greatest."

The Highwaymen #2 (I'm sure #1 is still out there).

I picked up the first issue on a whim and was quite surprised at how good it was. A nice action-buddy-near-future-political-spy type story. Nice art, too.

Archie & Friends or the Archie Digest. Can't beat a digest that's cheaper than the average comic on the racks.

Oh my, you're actually going to buy The Order!?

Why not, Kevin? Fraction is a very good writer, and I'm a fan of Kitson's art. I may not stick with it, but I'm more confident about it than a lot of stuff from Marvel these days!

This issue of Aquaman brings back the Human Flying Fish. It's a must buy! (I am one of the few people who could say the preceding two sentences and actually mean it.)

Also, Giant Sized Marvel Adventure Avengers. Woo. Mouthful. But it returns Jeff Parker and Leonard Kirk to the Agents of Atlas. You know you want it.

Thunderbolts *does* bring back Americop, but Jenkins is writing it. Ugh. Why couldn't Ellis give us Americop goodness!?!? We better get a Woodgod appearance from him, at least.

And make sure to buy the Shazam! trade when it comes out.

Well if you're a fan of the creative team then that's certainly understandable. I just think the concept of the title seems a little "Iron Man does Secret Defenders".

I think I'll put up a Highwaymen #1 review, so maybe folks will buy #2! #1 was a ton of fun.

I just think the concept of the title seems a little “Iron Man does Secret Defenders”.

I'd say it's a little closer to "Iron Man does X-Statix". That sounds hot.

Get the Silverfish HC by David Lapham.
It's a good read with a new take on teenage kids being hunted by a killer, and has a nice dream like quality to it (the night goes forever, and there doesn't seem to be anyone else but the speaking characters in the world (a few extras, but that's all - no one on the streets etc).
Nice use of panel layouts as well, as well as using wide shots and close ups to good effect, that really ups the tension.
And the last line had some possibly unintentional irony in it.

Too late, FGJ! I got it last week. I'll probably have a review up later this week.

I say give Flash a try! Remember how good Mark Waid was the first time around? If you agree, how can you not be getting it.

Now I have to ask a favor of you Greg. Can you put the word out to MarkAndrew (if you know how to contact him) that I'd appreciate him checking out Jake's blog again. I vented on him recently and would like to hear his side of things.

Thanks, see you tomorrow!

Now I have to ask a favor of you Greg. Can you put the word out to MarkAndrew (if you know how to contact him) that I’d appreciate him checking out Jake’s blog again. I vented on him recently and would like to hear his side of things.

Simplest way to express your criticisms of MarkAndrew's comments, Robert, would be to just make them here, where MarkAndrew MADE the comments.

"Come over to my blog to see me rip on you" is not exactly the greatest invitation.

Too late, FGJ! I got it last week. I’ll probably have a review up later this week.

I beat you once with Solstice Burgas, and one day I'll beat you again!

Did you like Silverfish?
I didn't think it was perfect, maybe not even great as a whole, but it was very good, and certain elements definetly hit great (some of the page layouts were so brilliant, it made full bleed look like it's for girlies).

It was okay, FGJ. It could have been better, but you're right, a good deal of the way the story was laid out was brilliant.

I see you mentioned "Hot Mexican Love Comics" I met the creators at APE this year, they were really funny and totally cool. The 2006 issue was great and I am looking forward to picking up the 2007 issue, It should be out today.

Simplest way to express your criticisms of MarkAndrew’s comments, Robert, would be to just make them here, where MarkAndrew MADE the comments.

“Come over to my blog to see me rip on you” is not exactly the greatest invitation.

I don't know how to do the cool word balloon quote thingy!

You're right, Brian, but I figured since the gripe was about MarkAndrews comments regarding his thoughts on a topic Greg linked to originally on my buddy's blog, it would be best for it to go down there. Especially since the whole point was really for MarkAndrew to READ something he felt the need to comment on without having read it initially to fully comprehend it.

This medium really frustrates me, because if his comments were made during an in-person discussion, I could have immediately questioned them and hopefully have had some resolution within a matter of minutes. Instead, I read MarkAndrews comments (go back to Greg's "Help me buy my comics this week!" article from July 3rd, 5:51 pm if you really care to know what I'm blathering on about)a week after the fact, let them stew inside me for a few days until I can't take it anymore, write about it, write to Greg asking for help tracking MarkAndrew down just to start a dialogue where maybe I'll better understand why he... well, quite frankly, came off sounding like an uppity snob.

Okay, now I sound like a jerk, so that's when I know to sign off!

I fixed your quote for ya, Robert!

And yeah, I can see how the medium can be a real pain in the ass. Luckily, one cool thing about this site is that we can see the last X amount of comments, even if they are to an entry from months ago, so if you replied to the original piece, MarkAndrew will likely see it.

And yeah, I can see how the medium can be a real pain in the ass. Luckily, one cool thing about this site is that we can see the last X amount of comments, even if they are to an entry from months ago, so if you replied to the original piece, MarkAndrew will likely see it.

It's also good to let you know when someone's posted really odd spam in the Urban Legends posts from a year ago.
Anyone know why that's the spam fave?

The way most spam systems work is that they identify a particular post, however random it may be, and just hit that same post over and over again.

The ones we get the most are some of the early Urban Legend pieces, plus, of all pieces, Ron Kasman's Guest Piece from last year.

Thanks for fixing the word balloon for me, Brian! I'm happy to have run into another good guy on the internet. But I should have realized you'd be a good-egg, working with Greg. It takes a patient man to even share cyber-space with that egomaniac!

Har har har! I kid! You guys are great, and I plan to frequent your blog more often. Good stuff all around!