Weekly Comics Discussion – April 29, 2009

As usual, the complete list is available here. Free Comic Book Day is this coming Saturday; check out my highlights of that complete list below while you’re at it.

Dark Horse Comics

  • CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #10
  • STAR WARS LEGACY #35 STORMS PT 2 (OF 2)

DC Comics

  • BATMAN BATTLE FOR THE COWL THE UNDERGROUND #1
  • BATMAN GOTHAM AFTER MIDNIGHT #12 (OF 12)
  • FINAL CRISIS LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #4 (OF 5) – This review will wait for issue 5. The other Final Crisis reviews will be caught up shortly.
  • FLASH REBIRTH #1 (OF 5) – The second printing, in case you missed the first one.
  • FRINGE #4 (OF 6)
  • GREEN LANTERN #40 – Part two of “Agent Orange,” introducing the Orange Lantern Corps.
  • GREEN LANTERN CHRONICLES TP VOL 01 – About 200 pages of Hal Jordan’s early career, starting with Showcase #22.
  • GREEN LANTERN CORPS #35 CORRECTED COPY – I don’t know what was wrong with the first printing.
  • GREEN LANTERN SINESTRO CORPS WAR TP VOL 01 – Previously available in hardcover. This was a great action story, and volume 2 definitely sets up the Blackest Night.
  • JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #26 – Available in three covers. If memory serves, this is Geoff Johns’ last issue.
  • SUPERMAN #687
  • SUPERMAN BATMAN #59
  • SUPERNATURAL RISING SON – Based on the series.
  • TRINITY #48
  • WONDER WOMAN #31

IDW Comics

  • BATTLESTAR GALACTICA CYLON WAR #4 (OF 4)

Image Comics

  • ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #15
  • INVINCIBLE HC VOL 04 ULTIMATE COLL
  • RISING STARS COMPENDIUM TP
  • SPAWN #191
  • WITCHBLADE #126

Marvel Comics

  • AVENGERS INVADERS #10 (OF 12)
  • CAPTAIN AMERICA THEATER OF WAR BROTHER IN ARMS
  • DARK AVENGERS #4
  • DARK REIGN CABAL
  • ENDERS GAME BATTLE SCHOOL #5 (OF 5)
  • GUARDIANS OF GALAXY PREM HC EARTH SHALL OVERCOME
  • KABUKI REFLECTIONS #13
  • MARVEL ASSISTANT SIZE SPECTACULAR #2 (OF 2)
  • MS MARVEL #38
  • NOVA #24
  • RUNAWAYS 3 #9
  • SKAAR #10
  • THUNDERBOLTS #131 – The second printing of 130 is also available today.
  • ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK #5 (OF 6)
  • UNCANNY X-MEN #509
  • WAR MACHINE #5
  • X-MEN ORIGINS WOLVERINE #1

Other

  • PEDRO & ME – A new printing of this work, the only thing I’ve read that was so good we invented a new category on the Bureau just to review it.

Free Comic Book Day Titles

  • Boom! Studios – The World of Cars: The Rookie #1 – This is the first chapter of Lightning McQueen’s “origin” story.
  • Dark Horse Comics – Alien/Predator
  • Dark Horse Comics – Star Wars: The Clone Wars – This also showcases Usagi Yojimbo, Emily the Strange, and other all ages characters.
  • DC Comics – Blackest Night #0 – Launching the big summer event. I can guarantee this review will hit on Saturday, though I won’t admit to having a copy earlier than I should. You can ask me about it 2, 3, 4, or 5263 times, and I won’t confirm that I have one.
  • DC Comics – DC Kids Comics Sampler
  • IDW Comics – Transformers Animated / G.I. Joe – It’s a split title, with both issues.
  • Marvel Comics – Avengers – In this issue, Thor, Dark Avengers and New Avengers work together to take down Ymir. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Jim Cheung, this will likely be important for upcoming continuity. When I get my hands on a copy, I’ll review it.
  • Marvel Comics – Wolverine: Origin of an X-Man – This was inevitable, given the timing relative to the movie.

Free Comic Book Day will also have loads of samples from less known publishers, so those who look for more than these issues will likely find a lot to enjoy.

8 replies on “Weekly Comics Discussion – April 29, 2009”

  1. My daughter, about to be 11, is looking forward to Free Comic Book day. I know I’ve posted about the fact that she’s reading comics, but I’m still so happy about the entire concept that I feel the need to repeat it.

    She enjoys Spider-Girl, Invisible Woman, but doesn’t like the Hulk stories. She generally gravitates towards characters that are female, but those that aren’t purely for an adult male’s enjoyment aren’t as common as I’d like. Anyone have any good recommendations for her?

    • I’ve heard good things about Emily the Strange, an all ages titles that’s featured in the Dark Horse “Star Wars: Clone Wars” Free Comic Book Day issue. That could be worth a look. DC’s Detective Comics will soon shift its stars to Batwoman and the Question, both of whom are female now, but they’re also lesbian lovers, so not all parents would be comfortable giving that title to an 11 year old.

      • DC’s Detective Comics will soon shift its stars to Batwoman and the Question, both of whom are female now

        Yeah, I hated when Batwoman was male. That didn’t work at all.

        Sorry. Just kidding.

        I don’t know if it will be eleven-year-old-friendly, but the last appearances of the Rene Montoya Question bode well for Detective.

        • I’ll pull that one down and read it, and see if it’s okay for her. I’m fine with her reading about lesbians (she could use something to counter the bigotry she picks up from the rest of the culture), but if the fact that she’s a lesbian is prominent enough to be noticeable, that probably means they’re tackling more adult issues in general.

          Thanks to everyone for the suggestions!

    • Well, it’s not part of FCBD, but I highly recommend Rapunzel’s Revenge. (It came out last year, and I intended to review it then but teaching hit and I was swamped. Hoping to get that review together RSN…)

      In Blue Beetle, his best friend Brenda is occasionally referred to as Anger Girl; does that count? ;) (I bet your daughter would enjoy that one, too; it’s just plain fun. :)

      I think Boom! Studios has a number of titles with female main characters, but I don’t know much about them; Hexed is one, but that’s probably not for kids. (Or maybe it is, I’m not sure. The first few issues are available free online, though, if you want to check it out first.) Boom! puts out good stuff, so keep an eye out.

      (Your quest is not an easy one. For one thing, a few months ago DC cancelled every solo title they had that didn’t star a white male…)

    • I’d almost give a plug for Runaways but I’m not sure what’s going on with that lately. The tone and style are almost 180 from what it started out as and last someone here mentioned was that sales are dropping on it fast.

      • Sales on Runaways are currently below the cancellation point, but this week’s issue is the last with the current creative team. It may rebound down the road, or come back with a fourth volume. It’s definitely worth getting the early issues in the digest or hardcover formats, particularly for readers in the teen years, but I’m hesitant to recommend volume 3 at this point.

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