Week of April 25th

Honorable Mention

Aquaman # 8 (DC Comics)

   Who are The Others...and why is Black Manta hunting them...?

Daredevil # 11 (Marvel)

   “The Omega Effect” concludes!...Featuring Spider-Man and the Punisher!

The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Man # 8 (DC Comics)

   Introducing the new Firehawk...and Hurricane!

Green Lantern: New Guardians # 8 (DC Comics)

   Arkillo is the last Yellow Lantern! Featuring the return of The Weaponer of Qward!

Secret Avengers # 26 (Marvel)

   The Avengers take the fight to space...and confront the Phoenix head on!

The Twelve # 12 (Marvel)

   The conclusion of this epic series...and the surprises keep coming!

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

AVX: VS # 1

Company: Marvel

All-Star Crew of Presenters: Writers: Jason Aaron, and Kathryn Immonen, Artists: Adam Kupert and Stuart Immonen, Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger, Colors: Morry Hollowell and Jim Charalampidis, Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna, Editor: Nick Lowe

All-Star Summary for Choice: This is the type of book I could get used to. Nothing but a couple of cover-to-cover fights between some great characters doing awesome feats of power. The artwork didn’t blow me away, but having a “versus” mind with all things comic related, the action more than made up for what was lacking visually.

The book is divided into two fights: Iron Man versus Magneto...and The Thing versus Namor. At first glance, both these matches look to be easy wins for the mutants (that’s how it played out in my mind at least), but with Iron Man coming to the arena prepared, the match takes on a whole different perspective.

Iron man is like a high(er) tech Batman, coming prepared to do battle with specific gadgets designed for the particular opponent he is fighting...and fighting Magneto, he had some good ones!! Magneto, though, is not called the master of magnetism for nothing...and he certainly isn’t dumb or a poor combatant. I’m not going to spoil it for anyone...just read the book.

Namor and Thing have fought many times...and this fight reflects that. It also takes place under water...so, um...the Thing has his work cut out for him. It’s a good match with much of what I’ve come to expect from both combatants...and little of what I didn’t. Again, reading it is the best way to experience it...so mum’s the word on here for now.

All-Star Quote of the Book: “So your armor isn’t metal? Oh dear. However shall I possibly defend myself?”

Star Wars: Blood Ties - Boba Fett Is Dead # 1

Company: Dark Horse Comics

All-Star Crew of Presenters: Writer: Tom Taylor, Artist: Chris Scalf, Letterer: Michael Heisler, Editor: Randy Stradley.

All-Star Summary for Choice: I’m an avid fan of Star Wars...just not so much so that I collect any of the books, except the ones that feature the best bounty hunter in the galaxy. To say I’m a Boba Fett fan is an egregious understatement. My entire Star Wars comic collection consists of nothing else but Fett (well, there are a few Vader books in there also)....but only the really good ones!

Boba Fett is announced to be dead, all over the galaxy...and despite being hated and feared, there seems to be someone that has taken a dim view of killing Fett. One by one, the squad of hit men credited for the Fett hit, are killed as the mysterious disgruntled Fett fan makes his way closer to uncovering who the benefactor was behind the hit.

The art is excellent and the story is as I expected whenever I read a Fett book. The creative and unique ways the disgruntled Fett fan disposes of the hit men is exactly why I’m reading this book! Of course, what would any Fett book be without a little misdirection (or a lot)...so it’s no surprise that Connor Freeman, the son of one of Jango’s clones, is being blamed for all the generously distributed death!

All-Star Quote of the Book: “Unless he can survive a severe case of ‘gaping hole where his head should be,’ I assure you...Boba Fett is quite dead?”

Ultimate Comics Ultimates # 9

Company: Marvel

All-Star Crew of Presenters: Writer: Jonathan Hickman, Artist: Esad Ribic, Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles, Colorist: Dean White, Editor: Mark Paniccia.

All-Star Summary for Choice:  It’s the People in Tian versus Reed Richards’ Children of Tomorrow in The City...and it just wouldn’t be a war if S.H.I.E.L.D and the Ultimates weren’t caught in the middle of it. The United States have enacted the “Winter Protocols”, the first wave of which is to send the Hulk. Well...with the Hulk persuaded to join Richards, that plan didn’t go so good. The phase is one where there will be no escape from the dire consequences....full nuclear strike!

Besides the awesome story, the art is absolutely magnificent! The attention to detail...especially with the facial expressions and action sequences is amazing. The coloring, which I don’t normally mention, needs to be recognized for the enhancement that it brings to an already incredible presentation.

With The People being slaughtered by the Children, Zorn takes matters into his own hands...or should I just say his mask, because that’s all it takes to lay waste to nearly everything. Add a nuclear strike as icing on the cake, and you have the perfect recipe for a Reed Richards retaliation that will leave you stunned...and very many others quite dead.

All-Star Quote of the Book: “May we all find some way to live with what has happened today.”

Uncanny X-Men # 11

Company: Marvel

All-Star Crew of Presenters: Writer: Kieron Gillen, Artists: Greg Land, Inker: Jay Leisten, Colorist: Guru eFX, Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna, Editor: Nick Lowe.

All-Star Summary for Choice: Normally I’d have a problem with a book simply rehashing the events already presented in another title...especially the very week after the initial presentation. Not so with this book.

Essentially, the story presents (again) the events in Avengers vs X-Men # 2...but the twist here is twofold. The first is the spectacular artwork, much better than what was presented in the original telling. The other is the unique perspective in the telling. We get to experience these events again, but in more detail and from inside the minds of Namor, Colossus and Hope.

The motivations of Namor are insightful, but not surprising considering the way he’s been portrayed over the years. Colossus, however, was another matter entirely. The glimpse given of what he has to deal with to harness the power of Juggernaut is incredible. I have never seen Cain Marko having a similar experience and I think the situation for Colossus will get much worse before it ever gets better....if it ever will. Hope has decided to start making her own decisions...and with the Phoenix Force headed for Earth, she couldn’t have picked a better time...or worse, depending on which side of the fence you’re sitting on.

All-Star Quote of the Book: “I admire Scott Summers. I would have his woman, of course. But that’s a compliment, in its own way.”

Voodoo # 8

Company: DC Comics

All-Star Crew of Presenters: Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Sami Basri, Letterer: Jared K Fletcher, Colorist: Jessica Kholinne, Editor: Bobbie Chase

All-Star Summary for Choice: Voodoo continues to be a hit. It may be just me, but when I open up a comic book and the very first page has the villain holding the decapitated head of one of our heroes...I think to myself “Whoa...this is going to be a great book!”

It’s not just the fact that a hero that has been growing on me for eight issues will no longer grow in any way, shape of form...but also the fact that the artwork is absolutely stunning. It’s the kind of work that makes you think “Why can’t all the books look like this?” Vibrant colors...detail to facial expressions, yeah...it matters when the blood starts flying.

Priscilla and Agent Fallon have finally caught up to Voodoo. Black Jack did as well, but that was the last thing he ever did. Not to be outdone, after a brief confrontation, Agent Fallon decides (not for herself mind you) that she should join Black Jack...leaving Priscilla to face her clone alone...leaving her no chance of survival. It’s a good thing the Black Razors show up, Priscilla could use a break...and a job!

All-Star Quote of the Book: “Come any closer and THIS will be you.”