New Comics for December 9, 2009

BOOM COMICS

The Anchor #3

DC COMICS

Action Comics #884
Adventure Comics #5
Batgirl #5
Booster Gold #27
Daytripper #1(of 10)
DMZ #48
Doom Patrol #5
Green Arrow and Black Canary #27
Magog #4
R.E.B.E.L.S. #11
Red Robin #7
Secret Six #16
The Shield #4
Titans #20
The Unwritten #8

DYNAMITE COMICS

The Complete Dracula #4(of 5)

IMAGE COMICS

The Astounding Wolf-Man #20
God Complex #1
Pilot Season Murderer #1
Walking Dead #68

MARVEL COMICS

Amazing Spider-Man #614
Black Widow: Deadly Origin #2(of 4)
Dark X-Men #2(of 5)
Deadpool #18
Deathlok #2(of 7)
Ghost Riders: Heavens on Fire #5(of 6)
Incredible Hulk #605
Invincible Iron Man #21
Nation X #1(of 4)
New Avengers Annual #3
Punisher Noir #4(of 4)
Punishermax #2
Realm of Kings: Imperial Guard #2(of 5)
S.W.O.R.D. #2
Uncanny X-Men: First Class #6(of 6)
War Machine #12
Web of Spider-Man #3
What If? World War Hulk #1
Wolverine: Under the Boardwalk #1
X-Men Forever #13
X-Men Noir: Mark of Cain #1(of 4)
X-Necrosha #1: The Gathering

TOP COW

The Darkness/Pitt #3(of 3)
Pilot Season Murderer #1
Witchblade #133

Jim’s Picks

Boom Studios
 

The Anchor #3

This title has been recommended to me. The reviews are favorable. I plan on reading the first three once I pick up this issue.

Dark Horse
 

Groo The Hogs of Hordor #2(of 4)

Anytime I need cheered up, I can always count on Groo. Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier have been doing thie entertaining, fun-filled parody of Conan for years and still find new ways to make me smile. The latest issue shows the effects of an economic recession on a less developed world.

DC
 

Adventure Comics #5

I did not like the first part of this story but it had one redeeming feature. Jerry Ordway’s art will always get my dollar (yes, I know it has been a long time since a new comic cost a dollar but you get my point). Pick up this issue to look at the pretty pictures. Skip reading the story. When is Jerry going to get a regular title to pencil?
 

Booster Gold #27

Anyone who reads my reviews knows this is one of my favorite titles. The combination of great art by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund with interesting stories by Jurgens is a winning combination. 
 

DC Holiday Special 2009 #1

I always enjoyed the holiday stories that DC used to have in the regular comics. They can be corny but that is part of the charm of the season. 
 

Doom Patrol #5

The Doom Patrol stories have been disappointing but the Metal Men stories have been fun with super art. Pick it up for the Metal Men. This is a series that is the perfect example of why DC needs an anthology title. I don’t think it would work as it’s own title but I would love to see it continue.
 

REBELS #11

This is the closest thing to a good Legion title that DC is publishing. It is not set in the future but it still gives you some of the old Legion magic. Tony Bedard is turning in an outstanding job(as expected). Highly recommended.

IDW

Jon Sable Freelance Ashes of Eden #3

I have been a Mike Grell fan since way back when he took over the Legion of Super-Heroes from Dave Cockrum. My younger son and I both purchased a Grell Jon Sable prints last year at the Pittsburgh Comicon. They make great posters. Jon Sable is an interesting concept that always has good art. Sometimes the stories are not up to the level of the art but Grell always makes it entertaining. He is another artist on my must buy list. He is currently working on this and Warlord. Now if only he would draw one of the new Paul Levitz Legion stories.

Image

You will see this week’s Image titles have something in common. Robert Kirkman is one of my favorite writers. This is a good week for a Kirkman fan.
 

Astounding Wolf-Man #20

I was late getting started on this title. So far I have read the first three issues. Once again, Kirkman is setting up a very interesting background. With each issue I am enjoying this title more.
 
Pilot Season Murderer #1

In the Pilot Season series, Image publishes the first issue of various new titles. Fans vote on which book they want to see. Murderer is the first of the Robert Kirkman/Marc Silvestri collaborations. It should be interesting.
 

Walking Dead #68

Another Kirkman series that I was slow to start. I recently started my subscription and I am filling in the early issues through the collections. Joel is reading the first two collections and really likes them.

Marvel
 

Dark X-Men #2

Certain authors I will buy anything they write. Paul Cornell is one of them. Even though I have not been impressed with most of the “Dark” books by Marvel, I trust that Cornell will produce a good story. This issue features the return of Nate Grey. I think I was one of the few who liked his series (X-Man). 
 

Realm of Kings Imperial Guard #2

Marvel’s cosmic line has been on a roll since Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning have taken charge of it. I will pick up and for the most part really enjoy any of the cosmic books they are involved with.

X-Men Noir Mark of Cain #1

Marvel’s Noir line has hooked me. I love the old pulp stories with Doc Savage, the Shadow, the Spider, etc. Sometimes when characters are re-imagined, it does not work. So far, the Noir versions have been a hit. I would guess that an X-Men story called the Mark of Cain will focus on Cain (Juggernaut) Marko. It should be good.

This is one of those unfortunate weeks where nothing at all particularly excites me. This week is loaded down with titles that I am either sticking with out of nostalgia (Invincible Iron Man), titles that I am hanging on in hopes that they eventually rebound and become better (Adventure Comics once Paul Levitz comes aboard and Red Robin once they actually start looking for Bruce) or titles that are on the verge of getting cut from my permanent pull list (Action Comics and Doom Patrol).

This is a good sized shipment of comics from Marvel this week, yet, practically none of them even remotely interest me. That is an incredibly rare occurrence.

Boom

The Anchor #3

This title has been an enjoyable read. Phil Hester managed to hook my interest with the very first issue. Hester has created a neat and unique vibe for this title. The reader gets treated to a nice balance of action and solid character work.

Brian Churilla does an excellent job with the artwork. His distinctive style of art is a perfect match for Hester’s story. Churilla definitely knows how to draw monsters and demons. The action scenes are well done as the practically leap off the page at the reader. I definitely recommend giving The Anchor a try.

DC

Booster Gold #27

While I did not enjoy the last issue of Booster Gold, I do have faith in Dan Jurgens to turn in a solid read with this issue. We are getting the second half of the two issue Blackest Night tie-in story. The first half of this Blackest Night story was mostly set-up and time wasting. That means we should be getting the real meat of the story with Booster Gold #27.

REBELS #11

I absolutely loved the last issue of REBELS #1. It was the best Blackest Night tie-in issue that we have gotten so far. Tony Bedard is firing on all cylinders as he is making REBELS one of DC’s stronger reads. I was so impressed with how Bedard was able to take what could have been merely yet another perfunctory Blackest Night tie-in issue and used the Blackest Night event to actually progress and intensify his own plotlines on REBELS.

REBELS delivers such well crafted character work, in particular with Vril Dox. This title is also nicely balanced between action and dialogue heavy scenes. Bedard has been doing a fine job plotting as he has constructed an interesting story with plenty of substance to it. If you enjoy either Sci Fi or traditional super hero comic books then I strongly recommend giving REBELS a chance.

The Shield #4

I have been enjoying The Shield more than I was expecting. Eric Trautmann has done a solid job with the first three issues of this title. While, The Shield has not been anything spectacular, it has been a dependable read. I must admit that Trautmann has made the Shield a rather soft character. Ultimate Captain America would certainly not be impressed him.

Marco Rudy and Mick Gray have done a fine job with the artwork. I dig Rudy’s style and it is a good match for this title. Rudy has a neat blend of traditional super hero art with a more realistic “real world” style of art. There is no doubt that The Shield is a pleasant title to look at.

Brandon Jerwa has done a solid job with the back-up story starring the Inferno.  I must admit that I did not have much interest in this story at first, but Jerwa has managed to capture my attention with the past two issues.  

I am conflicted about my excitement over The Shield #4. On the one hand, this issue guest-stars the Great Ten. I am a huge fan of the Great Ten and will eagerly purchase any issue starring those characters. However, on the other hand, this issue involves a Nazi hunt in South America. I have no interest at all in any story involving Nazis that is not based during World War II.

Marvel

Realm of Kings: Imperial Guard #2

This is the only Marvel title that I am excited to read this week. I am an unabashed fan of DnA’s work with Marvel’s cosmic characters. DnA have been doing a wonderful job evolving the Shi’ar. I have never viewed the Imperial Guard as anything other than a bunch of D-list characters who are lame rip-offs of the Legion of Super Heroes. However, DnA are quickly changing my opinion of the Imperial Guard.