They say: Andy Clarke joins writer Grant Morrison for an exciting three-issue arc titled 'Batman vs. Robin'! Why would Talia al Ghul manipulate her son Damian into taking action against Batman? Will Damian do as Mother says...or stay loyal to Dick Grayson? Plus, more on the Domino Killer, Oberon Sexton, and the menace of El Penitente's drug cartel! Is this already the end for the new Dynamic Duo?
I say: I've been running hot-and-cold on "Batman & Robin," but sometimes you see a cover like this and you know you're going to be plunking your money down no matter what. Might as well go on the Pull List. Damian is the first Robin I've actually liked. He's a brat, he's headstrong, he's misunderstood -- he's a pretty accurate depiction of a twelve-year-old boy. Except for the sword.
Most twelve-years-olds in Philly prefer their Glocks.
Nevertheless, between Damian and his mother (a perennial Bat-fave of mine), this issue holds plenty of promise.
They say: As Batman and a new partner-against-crime tackle the streets of Gotham City, Bruce Wayne's personal life takes a step to the side as the women in his life force him into an awkward position.
I say: Another Bat-title that I'm running hot-and-cold on. But I'm going to take a lesson from my JLA: Cry for Justice mistake and stick around for one more issue. Smith is weaving something together by balancing this story of the new apprentice and the journals that Silver St. Cloud spirited out of the Batcave.
But he's gonna have to set the hook with this issue.
They say: It's a beatdown of literally monumental proportions when the Hulk and the Wrecking Crew wage war in our nation's capitol! And when the dust settles, what of Washington DC will remain unsmashed?! All this plus rocking extras giving you the goods on "World War Hulks" - the upcoming Hulk mega-event!
I say: This year I've bought more Hulk than all of my other years of comics buying combined. I have no idea what that means -- other than the fact that I'm not going to miss this World War Hulks kick-off event.
Yeah. I saw it. The Wrecking Crew.
I'll betcha it's good anyway.
Dark X-Men #5
Creative team: Story by Paul Cornell; Art by Leonard Kirk
Villain to Watch: Norman Osborn
They say: It's the final showdown between the Dark X-Men and X-Man, all within the mind of Norman Osborn. Can the rag-tag group of villains take down the nigh-omnipotent Omega-level mutant while keeping Osborn sane? Or will this battle be what finally tips Norman over the brink forever?
I say: After Dark Avengers, this has been my second-favorite Dark Reign-related limited series. The characterizations have been enjoyable and the plot has been worth following.
They say: Once upon a time, in a world of super heroes and villains, there lived a team of animals that saved the universe...and no one knew it. These creatures asked not for fortune or fame, merely to help the humans that pet them. But a new threat to the world has arisen, which only they know of, that could change everything...and kill one of them.
I say: Mighty Chris Eliopoulos is quickly becoming a household name to followers of the House of Ideas. Let's face it, he's taken a concept that no one expected much out of and he blew out doors off with it. He has earned a much-deserved return to do it again.
But I say to Marvel, the guy's already proven his chops with off-beat favorites like this and Franklin Richards... I'd love to see what he could do with a meatier title.
Mystic Hands of Dr Strange #1
Creative team: Story by Kieron Gillen and a boatload others; Art by Frazier Irving and more
Villain to Watch:The Doktor
They say: It's the Sorcerer Supreme versus the magical might of the political terrorist known as the Doktor! Stephen Strange struggles with a decision to help a man crippled by his worst memories! And the Master of the Mystic Arts battles a demon in the streets of New York! All this and more in this all-new, all-action, all-black-and-white one-shot in the spirit of the Mighty Marvel Magazines of yore, but ALL-NOW in style! The magical mayhem never lets up for a moment over these four stories by some of Marvel's hottest creators!
I say: The preview looks godawful. It's all black-and-white. And I hate anthologies. Yuck.
Courting Disaster, my weekly comic about sex, love, and relationships updates every Friday. You'll laugh your pants off.
This week's question...
A reader writes... If you’re not into your first date, what’s the best thing a guy can say to exit reasonably quickly, while being respectful about it? What’s the best way for a woman to do the same?
Don't answer here... go on over to the CD site and offer some advice.
Deadpool Team-Up #895 Creative team: Story by Christopher Long; Art by Dalibor Talajic
Villain to Watch: TBA
They say: Off the coast of the Galápagos Islands, something hideous, something so deliciously amoral has vanquished the tranquility and shattered the peace - Deadpool! The legend no one can forget has been missing for years...yes, we're talking about It! The Living Colossus, the 30-foot-tall stone statue brought to life by wheelchair-bound Robert 'Bob' O'Bryan. Enlisted by O'Bryan's niece, Deadpool takes a dive, plunging down to the ocean floor in search of the stone statue. But something more heinous than Deadpool's thoughts when he's watching lingerie football lurks in the ocean depths. And underwater, nobody can hear your hilarious one-liners!
I say: Here we go again. Writer Christopher Long reaches waaaaaay back into the Marvel archive and pulls out characters that most of us have long forgotten. And, if he stays true-to-form, this issue will send droves of fanboys into the quarter bins to find out more about a new favorite.
Girl Comics #1 Creative team: Story by Trina Robbins and others; Art by Stephanie Buscema
Villain to Watch: TBA
They say: With the most controversial question in the Marvel Universe finally answered right on the cover, Marvel is proud to bring you a celebration of amazing women in comics with the first of a three issue anthology entirely created by the most talented and exciting women working in comics today, including Ann Nocenti, Amanda Conner, Laura Martin, G. Willow Wilson, Devin Grayson Stephanie Buscema, and more! With stories featuring your favorite Marvel characters, from the Punisher to Mary Jane, don't miss what will be the one of the most talked about series of the year! (Please note: She-Hulk would totally win.)
I say: It's an all-female writing line-up, with all-female artists and all-female editors. Rumor has it, they're bringing in an all-female crew to hand it to you at your comics shop. This has been the most overt of the push by the Big Two to entice fangirls -- with lows like Marvel Divas, highs like Black Widow and the Marvel Girls (yeah, I said it), and solid middles like Gotham City Sirens. I'd love to see some purchasing data on some of these books, though. Because I'm doubtful that fangirls are flocking to comics that pander to a female readership so transparently. I think female comics readers are pretty similar to the male ones: They love a good story presented in a visually effective way. And they don't care much about the sex of the character. Still, it's one to watch this month, so it's on the list.
They say: This is the big one! After the catastrophes seen in issues #5 and #6, a hero loses control, leading to an unexpected ending that will fundamentally change the lives of the World's Greatest Heroes forever. This issue launches a major storyline in the DC Universe and is not to be missed!
I say: I let this series drop off my list when I got utterly bored of seeing it go nowhere for three issues in a row. (And Congorilla really, really grates on my nerves.) Then, everything spins around in the JLA book, and I find out that the issue I skipped had all sorts of important plot points in it. So I guess I gotta catch up now. This better be good.
They say: The Mighty Avengers are poised to join the Siege on Asgard, but first they have some pretty huge issues to resolve. Thor vs. the Mighty Avengers! Loki revealed! Someone's off the team?! The most insane thing Hank Pym will ever do (and for Hank Pym, that's saying a lot)! All this and more!
I say: This looks like my best chance to sneak a little Dark Reign: Siege goodness into my Pull List this week. There's not much else going on, but in all fairness, if this ish lives up to the hype, it's will have enough story for three comics.
By the way, how cool is the transformation the Marvel writers have worked with Hank Pym's character? I'm really loving the "Scientist Supreme" mantle they've given him.
Prelude to Deadpool Corps #1 Creative team: Story by Victor Gischler; Art by Rob Liefeld
Villain to Watch: Overexposure
They say: Witness the birth of the most important super hero team ever in a universe-spanning event that will rock the month of March! Wade Wilson has been tapped to save the Universe, and to do that he's going to need help. Enter: The sexy-but-insecure Lady Deadpool! The devious-but-lovable Headpool (a.k.a. the Zombie Deadpool Head)! The bratty-but-brilliant Kidpool! And the irascible mutt known as Dogpool! Individually, they're, well, kind of messed up, but together, they're the unstoppable force know as DPC.
I say: I'm pulling this, but I gotta tell you, I'm really, really worried. I've become a mark for anything Deadpool in the last few months, but we're crossing the weekly-title mark and plunging headlong into multiple Deadpool titles every week. And that's going to get old super fast.
They say: From the company that brought you biocomics on Barack and Michelle Obama, comes a new bio on an unlikely public figure, Bo, the First Dog of the United States. In this 40-page Special Edition reissue of the widely successful comic, get a floor height tour of the White House from the Presidential Pup and discover who is the real 'Top Dog' in Washington.
I say: Forty. Page. Special. Edition. Reissue... Widely. Successful. Comic.
In the (little, black) hearts of us here at Evil Inc, Sinestro has always been the Greatest Green Lantern. But now he's even better. He's the White freaking Lantern.
In Blackest Night #7 Nekron kills a Guardian and uses its blood to create a symbol that summons a large white figure from inside the Earth. According to Ganthet, this is the Entity, and it embodies all the life force of the universe.
Ready for a DCU game-changer? Turns out that Earth is where life first began -- not Oa. This was something the Guardians kept a secret to keep Earth safe. And it's why there were no Earthling Green Lanterns until Abin Sur crashed his spaceship and bequeathed his ring to Hal Jordan.
Hal realizes that the white energy being radiated by the Entity can stop the Black Lanterns, but someone needs to meld with it the same way he had just melded with Parallax. But he's beaten to the punch.
By the Greatest. Sinestro.
Sinesto moves to the top position in villainy with a VQ of 10. White is the new black.
Batman and Robin #10
Batman Widening Gyre #5
Hulk Let Battle Begin #1
Dark X-Men #5
Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers Unleashed #1
Mystic Hands of Dr Strange #1
Deadpool Team-Up #895
Girl Comics #1
Justice League Cry for Justice #7
Mighty Avengers #34
Prelude to Deadpool Corps #1
Bo Obama: The White House Tails
In the (little, black) hearts of us here at Evil Inc, Sinestro has always been the Greatest Green Lantern. But now he's even better. He's the White freaking Lantern.
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