DC COMICS
ACTION COMICS #881
BATMAN AND ROBIN #4
BLACKEST NIGHT #3
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #27
JSA VS KOBRA #4
OUTSIDERS #22
REBELS #8
WEDNESDAY COMICS #11
MARVEL COMICS
AGENTS OF ATLAS #11
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #605
CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #3
DARK AVENGERS #9
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #18
MIGHTY AVENGERS #29
ULTIMATE COMICS ARMOR WARS #1
VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT #1
X-FACTOR #48
We have a healthy total of 17 titles headed to the Bunker today. This week is fairly balanced between DC and Marvel. We have some huge titles coming out this week both from Time Warner with Blackest Night #3 and from Disney with Captain America: Reborn #3. There are certainly some great reads in store for us today.
Which DC comic book am I most looking forward to reading?
There is no one title from DC this week that I am just wildly excited about reading. However, there are several solid issues headed our way today. I am curious to read The Brave and the Bold #27. JMS hops aboard this title with this issue. I thought JMS did a solid job with the various Red Circle titles. Hopefully, JMS can breathe new life into The Brave and the Bold and make this title an interesting read. Jesus Saiz takes over the role as the regular artist on this title. I am a big fan of Saiz so I figure that this will at least be a nice looking issue.
I expect JSA VS Kobra #4 to be another solid read. This mini-series was a surprisingly good read. It has been a more than serviceable JSA story. My favorite aspect of this title has been the use of Mr. Terrific as the brains behind the JSA in their fight against Kobra. It is nice to see Mr. Terrific getting some time in the spotlight.
I am looking forward to reading REBELS #8. This has been a quality read and is one of my favorite DC titles at the moment. REBELS is underrated. This title consistently delivers a well paced story that is clearly plotted and moves forward with a purpose. The character work has been well done with the bulk of it being performed on Vril Dox. REBELS is a balanced read that should appeal to a large cross section of readers.
Wednesday Comics #11 should be another nice read. Having said that, I am glad that DC decided to make Wednesday Comics only twelve issues. Anything longer than that and this title would have quickly lost my interest.
In the end, the DC comic book that I am most looking forward to reading is Batman and Robin #4. Philip Tan and Jonathan Glapion replace Frank Quitely as the artists on this title. I know that I am in the extreme minority, but I actually enjoy Tan’s art more than Quitely’s art.
At any rate, Morrison has done a nice job on this title with the first three issues. Hopefully, now that Morrison has firmly established Dick and Damien into their new roles as Batman and Robin respectively, I expect for Morrison to move the story along with a faster pace. I also expect to get more substantial and interesting plotlines than what we have been given over the first three issues.
I am certainly looking forward to learning more about this new Red Hood. I expect Morrison to have a surprise or two in store for the reader with Batman and Robin #4.
Which DC comic book am I least looking forward to reading?
I am not all that excited to read Action Comics #881. I have lost almost all interest in the generic main storyline on this title. At this point, the Captain Atom co-feature story is the only thing that keeps me from dropping Action Comics. I love Captain Atom and I want to see how DC is going to rehabilitate his character.
I cannot say that I am all that interested in reading Blackest Night #3. I was summarily unimpressed with the first two issues of Blackest Night. I had incredibly high hopes for Blackest Night and, so far, I have been quite disappointed with what Johns has given us. Blackest Night has been a bloated big event that is meandering about at such an incredibly slow pace. The Blackest Night tie-in issues have been more entertaining than Blackest Night itself.
It is incumbent upon Johns to actually perform some substantial plot development in Blackest Night #3. I expect more than just getting an endless series of “shocking” Black Lantern reveals taking place in various graveyards across the DCU.
However, the DC comic book that I am least looking forward to reading is Outsiders #22. I love Tomasi, but this title is rapidly losing my interest. The Outsiders is a title that has suffered from a lack of a constant mission objective and identity. This title has shifted its core roster, base of operation, mission statement and motivation at least three times inside of a two year period.
DC needs to pick a course of direction with this title and stick to it for a while. Unless Outsiders gets some stability soon, this title is going to find itself falling victim to the dreaded axe and getting cut from my permanent pull list.
Which Marvel comic book am I most looking forward to reading?
I am excited to read Agents of Atlas #11. I love this title. The unique cast of characters makes this one of my favorite super teams. This issue should deliver a ton of action as we get to see Atlas battling the mighty forces of the Jade Claw.
While I enjoy this title, I do hope that Parker streamlines the story a bit in order to make it a tad easier to follow. In turn, this should help make Agents of Atlas more new reader friendly. At this point, this title is nearly impenetrable for readers unfamiliar with this team.
Mighty Avengers #29 should be a fun read. This title has been the more entertaining read out of the three Avengers titles as of late. Unlike New Avengers, Might Avengers stars more characters that I would expect to be on an Avengers’ roster. Plus, Mighty Avengers properly captures that trademark Avengers feel that an Avengers title should possess.
In the end, the Marvel comic book that I am most looking forward to reading is Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars #1. Yes, I know that this title is not that original at all. We have seen the Armor Wars several times over in the 616 universe. However, this is the first time that we will have seen it played out in the Ultimate Universe. Hopefully, Ellis does enough to distinguish the Ultimate Universe Armor Wars from the ones we have read about in the 616 universe.
I will admit that I am not a huge Ellis fan. I find that Ellis has a limited range in terms of writing ability and, therefore, he can become quite predictable. Having said that, I loved Ellis’ run on Iron Man so I have faith that he will be able to do a great job with Ultimate Iron Man.
I like Steve Kurth’s artwork so I am glad to see that he will be handling the art duties for Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars #1. Hopefully, Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars #1 will provide for me the interesting and exciting Iron Man story that I am not getting from Fraction’s Invincible Iron Man.
Which Marvel comic book am I least looking forward to reading?
I am not all that excited to read Amazing Spider-Man #605. This title finally captured my interest with the white hot American Son story arc. However, this title has quickly backslid ever since American Son concluded. The past several issues dealing with the Chameleon have not been horrible, but they have not been anything particularly out of the ordinary either.
I do not have high hopes for Captain America: Reborn #3. The first two issues of this title have been incredibly slow and rather boring. I have also been stunned at how surprisingly unoriginal and uncreative this story has been so far. I absolutely adore Brubaker’s run on Captain America. Therefore, I am willing to give Brubaker the benefit of the doubt and hope that he can somehow salvage this mini-series.
I don’t expect Dark Avengers #9 to be that great of a read. This title has been so disappointing. The first couple of issues were pretty good and I thought that Bendis might actually be up to something interesting with this title. Unfortunately, we are eight issues into this title and literally nothing has happened. Seriously, nothing at all has happened on this title. Dark Avengers is competing with New Avengers to see which title can string along more consecutive issues without actually advancing any plotlines.
I am curious to read Vengeance of Moon Knight #1. Poor Moon Knight has suffered from a lack of direction ever since Charlie Huston left this title. Evidently, Marvel felt that this character needed a re-start even though his title was only a couple of years old. It appears that Moon Knight is going to be receiving a Batman meets the Punisher treatment on his character with this title.
Moon Knight will also be free of all his personal demons and mental problems as well with this new title. That is a big disappointment for me. The allure of Moon Knight’s character has been his mental instability and problems with schizophrenia. Now, it appears that Moon Knight is going to be more of a generic post modern violent super hero that we get on plenty of other titles.
The opening story arc pits Moon Knight against Norman Osborn. That right there also makes me skeptical about this new direction. Anything having to do with Dark Reign rarely captures my interest.
However, the Marvel comic book that I am least looking forward to reading is Invincible Iron Man #18. My extreme loyalty to this franchise is being severely tested by Fraction’s incredibly unimpressive and unoriginal run on this title. What is this issue, part 23 in this interminably long and dull story arc? Fraction lost my interest after just the first issue when I realized that we would simply be getting a mash-up of old Iron Man plotlines from the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s.