Week of February 22nd

Honorable Mention

Aquaman # 6 (DC Comics)

   Mera cuts loose!

Batman the Dark Knight # 6 (DC Comics)

   Bane is back with a vengeance!

The Flash # 6 (DC Comics)

   Captain Cold is back and more powerful than ever!

Green Lantern: New Guardians # 6 (DC Comics)

---Invictus has arrived and the New Guardians don’t stand a chance!

Voodoo # 6 (DC Comics)

   Voodoo is on the move, looking for answers and she won’t be denied!

...and now for this weeks All-Stars!

Fantastic Four # 603

Company: Marvel

All-Star Crew of Presenters: Writer: Jonathan Hickman, Artist: Barry Kitson, Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles, Colorist: Paul Mounts, Editor: Tom Brevoort

All-Star Summary for Choice: There are many adjectives I could use to describe this book....and none of them would do it justice. It really is a book that must be read to fully experience what I’m trying to convey...but I’ll do my best anyway.

Adventures in space is an element that is missing from comics today, fortunately it isn’t missing from this book. The Kree have come to Earth to conquer and the Fantastic Four...alongside the Inhumans and the Annihilation Wave, under the command of Johnny Storm, have interceded to stop them. As if the situation isn’t bad enough, the Mad Celestials have arrived to destroy everything...but they are opposed by non other than Galactus. What happens next will be talked about in comics for a long time.

The art of this book is astounding and really brings the great space adventure to life. It’s gratifying to see such an epic event in this book presented with such vibrant clarity...making this a book that has a lot of re-read value!

All-Star Quote of the Book: “It knows! It knows! Destroy/ Obliterate/ Eliminate!”

The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man # 6

Company: DC Comics

All-Star Crew of Presenters: Writer: Gail Simone, Artist: Yildiray Cinar, Inker: Norm Rapmund, Letterer: Travis Lanham, Colorist: Hi-fi, Editor: Rachel Gluckstern

All-Star Summary for Choice: Firestorm has always been one of my favorite characters. I remember my shock in my youth at the only hero in books that were two people formed into one. This caveat of the character hasn’t left, it’s just taken a different form...as has the who idea of “firestorm.” Now, anyone can become a Firestorm if you have the formula and know the process. However, this power isn’t for anyone, and the Firestorm hunter makes sure that few have it!

Ronald Raymond and Jason Rusch are Firestorm...or I should say, Firestorms. Both wield the power, and when a stadium of two-thousand people is vaporized, we get to see the different reactions of each under duress of the awesome responsibility of wielding this power. The writing of these two personalities is excellent. We also get to see what happens when Pozhar, the Firestorm Hunter catches up with these two!

Great vibrant colors bring these fiery pages to life and solid character writing cements this issue as something hot.

All-Star Quote of the Book: “I burned the lake down. How the hell do you burn a lake down?”

Magneto: Not A Hero # 4 (of 4)

Company: Marvel

All-Star Crew of Presenters: Writer: Skottie Young, Artist: Clay Mann, Inker: Seth Mann, Colorist: David Curiel, Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos, Editor: Nick Lowe.

All-Star Summary for Choice: Joseph, Magneto’s clone wants to slaughter thousands so that the humans will, once again, fear his name. It’s not too ambitious as far as grandeur goes, but at least he has a focus. Of course, the real Magneto can’t allow Joseph to sully his good name...well, “good” may be stretching it a bit...but at least it’s steadily improving with each act of heroism, and this would certainly be a set back.

What isn’t a set back is the fight between these two masters of magnetism. Any fanboy that likes to see great power wielded and the fight go “large” will love this one! The art is excellent, with every act of magnetism carrying a hefty impact as two of the most powerful mutants in the world tear into each other with abandon...some of it reckless! This is certainly a book that should not be missed.

All-Star Quote of the Book: “The thing none of you will ever understand is that there are no sides. There’s no heroes or villains. There’s just what I want and how I’ll get it.”

The Ray # 3 (of 4)

Company: DC Comics

All-Star Crew of Presenters: Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray, Artists: jamal igle, Inker: Rich Perrota, Colorist: Guy Major, Letterer: Dave Sharpe, Editor: Kwanza Johnson.

All-Star Summary for Choice: The things we do for the love of a woman. The things the Ray is getting into to protect the woman he loves. Unfortunately, it isn’t going to be easy with a maniac out to get you with the power to do...well, anything he can think of. Even harnessing the power of light is small time compared to that!

This book has so many good points and points of interest I hardly know where to start. The artwork is fabulous, with clear lines and great attention to details. I think the Ray is the first featured character of Korean descent to headline a comic for a major company. To add to that, his girlfriend is Indian...making this book a social melting pot. To top all that off...his costume is super cool with loads of potential since it’s made of light and he can change it as well as his own physical appearance.

I see a tremendous amount of potential for this character and this book just tops the iceberg of how great it can really be. By the end of the book, the “whoa” meter is redlining!

All-Star Quote of the Book: “People? I don’t care about people. I care about art. The world is my canvas and my audience.”

X-Men # 25

Company: Marvel

All-Star Crew of Presenters: Writer: Victor Gischler, Artists: Jorge Molina, Colorist: Guru EFX, Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna, Editor: Jeanie Schaeffer.

All-Star Summary for Choice: Jubilee is missing and the X-Men have set out on a mission to find her. As hard as that would be under normal conditions, it’s made all the more harder because Jubilee is now a vampire...and you have to look where vampires are at, to find the one you want.

It’s the X-Men versus The Forgiven...a group of vampires that have shunned the way of their kind and choose to live with their curse as best they can while doing what good they can do. The fabulous artwork of this book just makes this match up look more intense with each turning of the page. After weeks of searching for Jubilee on three continents and leaving a countless trail of bodies in their wake...the X-Men aren’t giving any quarter...and aren’t hearing anything contrary to “here she is.”

Think that sounds intense? That’s just the beginning...because a HUGE bounty has been placed on the head of the Forgiven leader, Raizo Kodo, and it’s brought the best mercenaries from all over the world to their doorstep. Good thing the X-Men are there...or is it?

All-Star Quote of the Book: “Okay, now I bring the hurt.”