When I first picked up this issue and saw that Amy Reeder Hadley wasn’t doing the artwork, I was a little ticked because her pencils are what attracted me to the book in the first place. However, Joelle Jones has won me over with this issue. She didn’t do anything different from the last issue but for some reason I liked this one better. So much so that I am actually interested in checking out Troublemaker, the book she will be doing with Janet and Alex Evanovich.

However, I think DC should grab her for one of their superhero books, I think she would do well on Birds of Prey or a Justice League title.

Tags: amy reeder hadley, joelle jones, madame xanadu

This is what I got this week from Detroit Comics:

Stumptown 1 (Oni Press): I have already read the second issue and liked it. I’m glad Brian was able to find the first issue for me.

Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island 1 of 4 (Avatar Press): I haven’t heard anything about this book, but Brian pulled it for me because he thought I might like it. We’ll see if I add the rest of the issues to my pull list.

DeadWorld: Frozen Over 4 of 4 (Desperado Publishing): I have had this on my pull list for so long that I forgot it was there until Brian showed me. I completely forgot what was going on in this book. It will be a long time before I get another DeadWorld/Mike Raicht/Federico Dallocchio/Desperado Publishing single issue. I might pick up a trade, but this long time between issues has really soured me on the franchise/creators/publisher.

Image United 0 of 6 (Image Comics): I have really been enjoying this series. I have said it in the past, it is like a puppy: big, goofy, stupid and fun.

Irredeemable 11 (BOOM! Studios): I still think this is one of the best books out there right now and I can’t wait to read this issue.

Fantastic Four 576 (Marvel Entertainment Comics): I am thoroughly enjoying the Hickman/Eaglesham/Mounts run on this title. It’s not that I didn’t like the previous creative teams, I just never read them.

Buck Rogers 9 (Dynamite Entertainment): I always smile when I see another issue has come out.

Madame Xanadu 20 (Vertigo): Joelle Jones is handling the art chores on this issue (and the last). There is nothing wrong with her artwork, but I started getting this title because of the Amy Reeder Hadley pencils and I get frustrated when she isn’t on the book.

Fall of The Hulks: Red Hulk 2 (Marvel Entertainment Comics): Yeah, I know, but Jeff Parker had me at “Hello”.

28 Days Later 7 (BOOM! Studios): I don’t know why more people aren’t getting and talking about this book. It is as enjoyable as the first movie and better than the second.

Choker 1 of 6 (Image Comics): I loves me some Templesmith. I don’t remember ever reading a Ben McCool story, but he would have to be absolutely horrible for me to not like this title and I don’t ever remember hearing that he is absolutely horrible.

Tags: 28 days later, avatar press, boom studios, buck rogers, captain swing and the electrical pirates of cindery island, choker, dead world: frozen over, desperado publishing, dynamite entertainment, fall of the hulks: red hulk, fantastic four, image comics, image united, irredeemable, madame xanadu, marvel, oni press, Stumptown, vertigo

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Host Derek Coward talks about six great (not just good) comic books:
Planetary #27
Ignition City #5 (And I made a HUGE misspeak in this review. Let me know if you can tell what it was.)
Zero Killer #6
Buck Rogers #5
Dynamo 5 #25
Madame Xanadu #16

I also take a quick look at Marvel Previews.

Tags: buck rogers, dynamo 5, ignition city, madame xanadu, planetary, zero killer

I will probably be going back to Detroit Comics to pick up some comic books today, but I went yesterday because I had a little bit of time and got:

Wednesday Comics #4 (DC)
Wednesday Comics #5 (DC)
Proof #22 (Image)
Dynamo5 #23 (Image)
Mysterius The Unfathomable #3 (Wildstorm)*
Groom Lake #4 (IDW)**
Atomic Robo: Shadow From Beyond Time #3 of 5 (Red 5 Comics)
Madame Xanadu #13 (Vertigo)***

Once again, nothing from Marvel or Dark Horse, but a bit more surprising to me, nothing from Dynamite Entertainment. This is the first time in a long time that I don’t remember getting anything from Dynamite.

* – I read the first issue, but can’t find the second one. I’m not sure if it is necessary in order to understand the rest of the series, but I guess I’ll find out soon.

** – I still can’t find the first two issues. I might switch this to trades.

*** – The Michael Wm. Kaluta art is starting to grow on me, but I want Amy Reeder Hadley back. I wonder if it is possible to have them alternate storylines or one do covers while the other one does interiors. Yeah, I know I’m being greedy.

Tags: amy reeder hadley, atomic robo, dark horse, detroit comics, dynamite entertainment, dynamo 5, groom lake, madame xanadu, marvel comics, michael j kaluta, mysterius the unfathomable, proof, wednesday comics

One of the benefits of being employed is being able to afford comic books. Here is my new pull list with Detroit Comics:

The Perhapanauts (Image Comics): Probably the most underrated book being printed by one of the big companies. On top of being underrated, it is also one of the most fun.

Proof (Image Comics): There are a few elements that are very similar to The Perhapanauts, but in a much grittier way.

The Sword (Image Comics): The Luna Brothers are “go-to”s for me. Meaning, if they put it out, I’m in it for the long haul.

Madame Xanadu (Vertigo): Oddly, this is the only thing that I will be getting on a regular basis from either of the Big Two.

Nexus - (Rude Dude Productions) [not the Dark Horse stuff]: Nothing against the reprints that DH is doing, but I have the vast majority of that stuff and want to see where the story is heading.

Dynamo 5 (Image Comics): I am chuffed that Noble Causes is no more (Thanks to Barry Nugent for introducing me to the word ‘chuffed’), but this is a good substitute.

True Story Swear To God (Image Comics): One of my favorite comic books. Period.

The X-Files (Wildstorm): I have always liked the comic book version of the show than the actual TV show itself, so why not check it out?

The Walking Dead trades (Image Comics): I started reading it in trade and I see no reason to go to single issues. And I don’t want to wait for the super deluxe hardcover editions. This is perfect for me.

Atomic Robo (Red5 Comics): I like the stuff that Red5 puts out, but I cannot afford to get it all, so I want to get the best of the best. That includes this title.

Neozoic (Red5 Comics): See Atomic Robo.

Fell (Image Comics): Even if it didn’t cost $1.99, even if I didn’t do the Fellcast, even if none of that stuff matters, I would still have this on my pull list because there is only so much ass to kick and this book has the market cornered.

Love & Rockets: The New Stories (Fantagraphics): I love Love and Rockets. I would rocket it too, if I knew what that meant.

Potter’s Field (BOOM! Studios): This is one of the books that made me a Mark Waid fan and it only took about twenty years.

The Boys (Dynamite Entertainment): One of the funniest comic books out there and I don’t necessarily like funny comic books.

Groom Lake (IDW): I have seen some of the Ben Templesmith artwork and if that wasn’t enough to sell me on the project, my buddies over at 11 O’Clock Comics sweet talked me into getting it.

This list may change depending on what DC decides to do with the Legion, what Matt Wagner decides to do with Grendel and of course, when the next part of the Mage saga comes out.

Tags: atomic robo, dynamo 5, fell, fellcast, grendel, groom lake, legion of super-heroes, love and rockets: the new stories, madame xanadu, mage, matt wagner, neozoic, nexus, perhapanauts, potter's field, proof, pull list, the boys, the sword, true story swear to god, walking dead, x-files

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Host Derek Coward finishes his look at the best of 2008 by talking about the titles that he has heard good things about but has never checked out yet, best miniseries that didn’t finish in 2008, best #1 comics of 2008 and the best graphic novels.

Related links (*-Amazon link, so help a brother out):
* Rasl Volume 1: The Drift
The Boy Who Made Silence
* House of Mystery
* Young Liars
* Captain Britain and MI:13
‘76
* Tangent: Superman’s Reign
The Infinite Horizon
Stephen King’s The Stand: Captain Trips
* The Twelve
* Love and Rockets: New Stories #1
* Madame Xanadu #1
Comic Book Comics
* Locke & Key
Kick-Ass
* Man With No Name
* Queen and Country Definitive Edition
* Noble Causes Archives
* The Walking Dead, Vol. 8: Made to Suffer
* Hellblazer: The Laughing Magician

Tags: '76, 11 O'Clock Comics, 52, a fistful of dollars, action philosophers, alan moore, alex ross, amazon marketplace, amy reeder hadley, andy diggle, angela paman, b clay moore, babylon five, batman, best of 2008, black canary, black samurai, black terror, blaxsploitation, bone, booster gold, brian azzarello, bruce jones, bruce le, bruce li, bruce wayne, bryan deemer, camelot, captain britain and mi13, captain trips, charles vess, chinese connection, chris marshall, chris weston, christopher neseman, civil war, classics illustrated, clint eastwood, collected comics library, comic book comics, comics code authority, continuity, cool, countdown to final crisis, dabel brothers, dan jurgens, dan spiegle, daredevil, dark horse, dc comics, dead world: frozen over, death defying devil, desperado publishing, detroit comics, dynamite entertainment, ec comics, evil twin comics, evil white cops, fifth week event, first comics, for a few dollars more, fred van lente, frederic wertham, gabriel rodriguez, game of death, Geek Brunch, geoff johns, golden age heroes, graphic novels, green arrow, green arrow year one, green lama, green lantern, greg rucka, guy pearce, heartbreak soup, hellblazer, hellblazer joy ride, hellblazer the laughing magician, hippies, house of mystery, house of secrets, hulk, idw, image comics, inferno, infinite horizon, invincible iron man, irresponsible speculation, j michael straczynski, jackie chan, jackie karma, james caviezel, jamie delano, jay faerber, jeff smith, jim krueger, jlapes, joe hill, john constantine, john stewart, jsa, kick-ass, kung fu movies, legion of super-heroes archives, leonard kirk, leonardo manco, lex luthor, little gold book, locas, locke and key, love and rockets, love and rockets: the new stories, madame xanadu, magneto, manhattan, mark evanier, markosia comics, marvel comics, matt fraction, matt wagner, matthew sturges, mike grell, new universe, next issue project, noble causes, noble causes archives, oliver queen, omega the unknown, oni press, oz, palomar, paul cornell, perhapanauts, peter david, phantom stranger, power girl, project superpowers, proof, psi-force, public domain, queen and country, queen and country definitive edition, racist hero, rasl, ryan dunleavy, salvation run, scott cederlund, secret invasion, sergio leone, seth peck, shared universe, shazam and the monster society of evil, spaghetti western, spider-man, stephen king, steve sadowski, sting, superman, swamp thing, tangent comics, tara chace, the atom, The Boy Who Made Silence, the count of monte cristo, the demon etrigan, the flash, the good the bad and the ugly, the joker, the losers, the man with no name, the odyssey, the programme, The Readerfeed, the stand, the sword, the twelve, the unexpected, the yellow kid, vandal savage, vertigo, Vince Bonovoglia, waiting for the trade, walking dead, wally west, watchmen, wednesday's haul, white event, wonder woman, wonderland, young liars, zero killer, zombie

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Host Derek Coward takes a look at the ten best ongoing series, ten best miniseries, three series that are gone too soon and the top five one-shots.

A challenge is also made in the form of a new contest.

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Related Links:
Atomic Robo
Avengers: The Initiative
Black Summer
Countdown Presents Lord Havok And The Extremists
Criminal
DC/WS Dreamwar
Fantastic Four: Isla De La Muerte
Grendel: Behold The Devil
Helen Killer
Jamie Delano’s Narcopolis
Kill All Parents
Locke And Key
Madame Xanadu
Neozoic
Noble Causes
Perhapanauts
Proof
Skaar: Son Of Hulk
Speak Of The Devil
Suburban Glamour
The CBLDF Presents Liberty Comics
The Order
The Sword
The Vinyl Underground
Thor: Ages Of Thunder
Thor: Reign Of Blood
True Story Swear To God

Tags: atomic robo, avengers: the initiative, black summer, countdown presents lord havok and the extremists, criminal, dc/ws dreamwar, fantastic four: isla de la muerte, grendel behold the devil, helen killer, jamie delano's narcopolis, kill all parents, locke and key, madame xanadu, neozoic, noble causes, perhapanauts, proof, skaar son of hulk, speak of the devil, suburban glamour, the cbldf presents liberty comics, the order, the sword, the vinyl underground, thor: ages of thunder, thor: reign of blood, true story swear to god

I had time and a little bit of money so I picked up some comic books. I wanted to buy the new Flash Gordon (Ardden Entertainment?) and the new Thor special written by Matt Fraction, but the comic book shop didn’t have either of them. They were sold out. They had a lot of Final Crisis/Secret Invasion stuff.

My list of purchases (*-starred items were bought in the dollar bin)

Batman 633*

Gotham Central 23*

The Mighty Avengers 16*

Project Superpowers 4*

Madame Xanadu 4

Madame Xanadu 5

The Secret Society of Super Villains 3*

The Secret Society of Super Villains 6*

Stephen King’s The Stand: Captain Trips 2

The Sword 12

Tags: batman, final crisis, flash gordon, gotham central, madame xanadu, matt fraction, project superpowers, secret invasion, secret society of super villains, stephen king, the mighty avengers, the stand, the sword, thor

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No Bruce this week means no Small Press Spotlight this week. So Derek and Angie make up for it by talking a lot:

Fuzzy Typewriter
Ayre Force
David’s NYComicon plans
REVIEW: Eye Of The Storm
A CHUD-Free place
5 minute comics
Something new that bugs me
Evaluating lazy artwork
The origin of The Number One Comic Book Show
REVIEW: Scott Pilgrim Vol. 1
Cameo by Stephen
“Is Naruto an anime”
REVIEW: Wanted
Looking for Locke and Key
Michael Turner is dead
A kiss is blown
Hypocrisy when dealing with death
Cranky old 30
Free plug
Wuthering Heights is a love story?
Why does a Californian need an umbrella?
The End of The End League
Hardcovers are not trades
The solicitation for Vinyl Underground 12
Teen Titans: Year One and the connection to podcasting
No Question For Derek
Inappropriate Batman sighting
“Comics that came out four times a year?”
The Ethan Van Sciver Is A Nice Guy Society
Derek earns another punch in the throat
40 pages for 2.50
comicBOOKdb.com
The W word
Random people earn punches in the throat
Madame Xanadu has beautiful arwork
Page 132 is Back To Brooklyn
My favorite Youngblood
Explaining Rob Liefeld
My all-time favorite artists
Angie is speechless and mind-blown
“Rob Liefeld is the Jack Kirby of our age”
Art or story?
Guess which of us is a big fan of Heroes
Jim Lee more rare than Alex Ross
Cringeworthy pricing
I still don’t like wacky
Another plug for The Perhapanauts
Three of the best books in comics today
A reference to an unheard conversation about Charles Schultz
Derek wants The Stand while Angie wants Marvel Previews
Dark Tower Crap
Two stories that I will pick up in any format
Age of Bronze is better than Marvel’s The Iliad
What’s the difference between a bobblehead and a headknocker?
Halloween costumes should be lethal
Another reason why I thank God I was born a man
We talk about shoes (I’m not kidding)
Angie’s busy schedule
Food allergies
Chip Mates are not exactly Chips Ahoy but they still taste good

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Tags: age of bronze, alex ross, ayre force, back to brooklyn, batman, bobblehead, charles schultz, chocolate chip cookies, comicbookdb.com, dark tower, ethan van sciver, eye of the storm, food allergies, fuzzy typewriter, halloween, headknocker, heroes, jack kirby, jim lee, locke and key, madame xanadu, marvel previews, michael turner, naruto, new york comicon, number one comic book show, perhapanauts, rob liefeld, scott pilgrim, stephen coward, teen titans: year one, the end league, the iliad, the stand, vinyl underground, wanted, wuthering heights, youngblood