Pick Of My Pile for the week of 5-13.

Hello Chums,

I've been reading some trades lately including: Strangers In Paradise vol.1 (I'm not sure I'm on board with this title), Scott Pilgrim 2-4 (like them) and Absolute Kingdom Come (good, but not Marvels good).

How about some picks.

Marvel:

Dark Tower - The Fall Of Gilend #1. More from King's seven book series.

Howling Commandos #1. Story from former Heroes producer Jesse Alexander - alright. Art from John Paul Leon - very good.

Marvel Reading Chronology - Free. A nice grouping of several solo characters and groups books and the order to read them. But with no X-Men listings can a second reading list be far off?

Thor - Tales From Asgard #1. Original Thor tales from the sixties by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby but, recolored with modern techniques.

Wolverine #73. Even though Old Man Logan isn't finished, Issues 73 and 74 aren't just filler stories awaiting it's conclusion. These issues feature two stories running in both issues.

Dark Horse:

B.P.R.D. - Black Goddess #5. The conclusion to this story arc. Guy Davis art!

Image:

Elephantmen #19. More amazing Marian Churchland art.

DC / Vertigo:

Fables #84. The great Fables Crossover p.4.

Top Shelf:

League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen vol.3 #1 1910. Too Loooong and boring. Decent art.

IDW:

Star Trek - Missions End #3. This very odd Trek tales continues on.

The Pick Of My Pile this week is Wolverine #73. I wasn't going to buy this book initially, but I'm glad I did. I flipped through this book and realized it had two separate stories. My favorite of the two is written by Jason Aaron and is drawn by Adam Kubert and answers the question: How does Wolverine have so many solo and team adventures?

K.R.C.

D.L.

Pick Of My Pile for the week of 5-6.

Hello Chums,

How about a week of picks?


Week of 5-6:


Marvel:


Agents Of Atlas #4. A story from two time periods with two artists. The art from the 1950's by Gabriel Hardman really shines.



New Mutants #1. The New Mutants back together again! I'll give it a little while and see how it goes.


New Avengers: The Reunion #3 (of 4). More of agent Mockingbird. Good Stuff!


Universal War One: Revelations #2 (of 3). (Soliel) More Sci-fi goodness by Denis Bajram.


DDP:



The Zombies That Ate The World #3 (of 8). More zombie goodness -no greatness from Guy Davis.


IDW:


Angel: Blood and Trenches #3. John Byrne continues to knock this penciled book out of the park. Maybe his best work in years.


Star Trek: Crew #3. Nice early Trek tale by John Byrne.


Image:



Jersey Gods #4. I'm still on the fence with this Gods, Sci-fi, fashion and relationship book.


DC:


The Flash Rebirth #2. Check out the last page of this Dead Run issue.





The Warlord #2. Very nice covers and story by Mike Grell. Probably my favorite DC book in a loooong time.


Power Girl #1. Nice cover but extremely lame story. Definitely my last issue.



Astro City: The Dark Age - Book 3 #1. More of the life of Charles and Royal Williams. Okay stuff, but I wish we could get back to the Superhero stories that made this book so good (years ago).

Some decent books this week including: The Warlord, New Avengers: The Reunion, Angel, and Star Trek. But the Pick Of My Pile is Universal War One Revelations. This book is awesome. I highly recommend it!

K.R.C.

D.L.

Free Comic Book Day '09

Hello Chums,

How was your Free Comic Book Day? Mine was great again this year. Free comics at three local stores. No fourth store like last year - Dragonfyre comics has sadly gone out of business. But once again free books, sales and costumed people. Cool.

Check out my free swag:

Cartoona Palooza #2 - Ape Entertainment - featuring a White Picket Fences story!

Worlds of Aspen #4. - Aspen - Michael Turner cover! How many more can there be?

Melvin Monster / Nancy - Drawn and Quarterly

Savage Dragon #148- Image

Resurrection #0 - ONI -the start of the second arc!

William Shatner Presents - Bluewater Productions

Love and Capes - Maerkle Press

FCHS - AdHouse books

Aliens / Predator - Dark Horse

Impact University #5 - F+W Media

The Avengers - Marvel (one-shot) - stand alone story by Bendis and Cheung

Wolverine - Marvel - origin of an X-Men

Buck Rogers #0 - Dynamite

Blackest Night #0 - DC

Owly and Friends - Top Shelf

Atomic Robo - Red 5 Comics

Comics Festival! - Toronto Comics - two Jellaby stories!

Love and Rockets - Fantagraphics Books

Attack of the Alterna Zombies - Alterna comics

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 - Mirage Publishing - 25th anniversary of the first issue! The complete 40 page story with wrap around cover!

20. That's a lot of free comics.

At 3 AM I got out of bed to do it all again. New World comics was having a 24 hour sale. From 4 to 5 AM (Sunday) the deals were real. When I arrived I was amazed by the amount of cars in the parking lot. The store was full of people. The turnout HUGE. The graphic novel selection looked noticeably thinner than when I was there at 10 AM. I picked up numerous books and comics at very steep discounts. Now that's a great end to Free Comic Book Day!

It's time to start reading.

K.R.C.

D.L.

Pick Of My Pile for the weeks of 4-22 and 4-29.

Hello Chums,



On to my purchases.



Week of 4-22:



Marvel:



Marvels: Eye Of The Camera #5 (of 6). This has been a well written and drawn limited series. I'm going to hate to see it (and Phil Sheldon) go.



The Mighty Avengers #24. I keep saying this but, I need to drop this title - eventually. I might after this arc.




The New Avengers #52. Okay, I haven't said this yet but, this book is officially on the chopping block now. It's just not doing it for me right now. Can it be saved?




The Immortal Iron Fist #25. This book has lost some steam since Brubaker and Fraction have left. I hear it's set to be canceled. Wanting to drop books, I guess that's okay with me.



Astonishing X-Men #29. This book is not "ASTONISHING" anymore. The title should have been placed on the back-burner ready to go if Whedon and Cassaday should ever return. Similarly, The Ultimates should have been reserved for the return of Millar and Hitch.




Kick Ass #6 (ICON). The Secret Origin of Big Daddy and Hit Girl. Nice story and art. I will gladly continue to buy this.



DC:



Jack of Fables #33. I'm going to hold off and read all nine parts of this Great Fables Crossover all at once. I hope it is great. If not chopping block!




Detective Comics #853. The conclusion to "Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusader?". This story was crap! I don't need or want stories like this.




DDP:



I am Legion #3 (of 6). Just when I think I know what's going on, this issue proves me wrong. That's the difference between a 4 issue and a 6 issue limited series. More (and confusing) twists and turns with the plot.



Image:





Elephantmen #18. Nice story. But very nice markered(?) art by Marian Churchland. Her art fit the story perfectly. I hope she stays and does a few more issues.




Even though Marvels: Eye Of The Camera was very strong this week, The Pick Of My Pile is Elephantmen #18. Check out the variant sketch cover by J Scott Campbell. I got one.




Week of 4-29:



Marvel:



Dark Reign: The Cabal (one-shot). Five stories revolving around The Cabal.



Uncanny X-Men #509. The return of Psylocke should be cause for my approval, but I find this arc (and direction) booooring. Come on Fraction!



Ultimate Wolverine vs Hulk #5 (of 6). Only a slightly better issue than last month.




Captain America: Theater Of War - A Brother In Arms (one-shot). A very nice W.W.2 Cap story.





Avengers / Invaders #10 (of 12). Even though I don't care for this story being in current continuity, this is still a good story that keeps getting better with each issue.




The Pick Of My Pile this week is Avengers / Invaders #10. W.W.2, Union Jack, Spitfire, The Red Skull and the Cosmic Cube - Nuff Said! Oh Yeah, Captain America telling Iron Man that fighting friends (in The Civil War for your Nation) was difficult but the right thing to do.



K.R.C.



D.L.