Brave New Worlds

•Doomwar #2: I for one was not expecting much from this series. I haven’t been all that much of a Black Panther fan, though what I have read I have always liked, and hadn’t read any of the current iteration of the character, Lady Black Panther didn’t pique my interest at all. That being said I really enjoyed Doomwar issue #1. Though Doctor Doom may seem a bit overexposed in the last six months or so since Millar wrote that Masters of Doom story, that we have on our $12 Hardcover Rack, I liked him in the issue. His goals as of now seem to be that he’s after Wakanda’s Vibranium supply though I feel like he’s got something more up his sleeve! Now that the Black Panthers have gone out and recruited the X-Men, unofficially since Scott couldn’t sanction them attacking Wakanda, T’Challa wants to get his kingdom back and save his wife, and X-Woman Storm, from execution!

Doomwar #2, Jonathan Maberry/Scott Eaton, $3.99, 32 pages, full color, Marvel Comics

•Green Lantern Corps #46: Peter Tomasi has been a nice addition to the Geoff Johns helmed Blackest Night epic. His GLC has given us a wider view of the battle between good and evil waaaaaaaay out in space…and he’s even seen fit to kill off some much loved characters! This issue was such a big deal that the original solicit for the cover looked like this.  If you have been reading the series you know how much fun GLC has been and with solicitation information like this how can you not be excited?!:

“Blackest Night comes to its epic and stunning conclusion in this over-sized issue as the Green Lantern Corps descends on Earth to make their final stand against Nekron and the Black Lanterns!”

See what I mean!?

Green Lantern Corps #46, Peter J. Tomasi/Patrick Gleason & Rebecca Buchman, $3.99, 40 pages, full color, DC Comics

Now that everyone has read issue #10 of Gran Morrison’s Batman and Robin series [wait you didn’t read it!?…what’s wrong with you! go read it now ’cause it ruled!] let’s take a look at these six awesome covers to the Return of Bruce Wayne comic that DC posted online recently. Read the rest of this entry »

Drum Roll please – continuing the eclectic selections of the Willow Grove Book Discussion our March book (March 27 @ 7 p.m.) will be our first foray into the world of manga with Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys Volume 1.

So if you have yet to venture out and sit down with the folks at the Willow Grove book discussion group, might we suggest giving Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys a try.

Finally a caped crusader issue that I could really rave about, plus my ongoing rants about the latest new thing by Vertigo this week.  Grant Morrison’s Batman & Robin #10 and Daytripper #4 were what I liked this week.

As soon as I turned the first page off the opening panels of Batman & Robin onto the splash with Damian running a meeting at Wayne Enterprises I knew this was going to be a special issue.  This title is really starting to pull together the plot threads Morrison has been planting since it began last summer and should culminate with the eventual return of Bruce Wayne himself.

That return will no doubt have a major impact on all the characters in the Bat World, none more than Damian, who is beginning to settle into his role as the new Robin  But of course, Mother dearest has other plans for her little spawn.  If you are interested in delving into the psyche of Damian, this is the issue for you.

As a plus, Andy Clarke has settled in as the books regular penciller and delivers a strong effort once again telling the story that Morrison has so brilliantly laid out.

Speaking of brilliance, if you are not reading Daytripper, you really need to start. Fabio Ba Moon and Gabriel Ba continue to bring it each month and the latest issue number four continues to excel.  Daytripper is only going to run for 10 issues, and continues to fly off the shelves.

Without giving too much away, each issue begs the question – how is this going to happen next?  However, more importantly is trying to figure out where it’s all going.  So far the ride is better than any episode of Lost ever produced.

Trust me, if you have not picked up this book, you are really missing out.

Vertigo is the spotlight this week with the release of a new ongoing monthly title in American Vampire #1 and the latest Vertigo Crime offering – Bronx Kill.

Witness the birth of the very first American vampire and in the process a brand-new species of blood suckers by exciting new scribe, Scott Snyder, along with an assist by none other than Stephen King himself in Vertigo Comics’ American Vampire #1 this week.

A new ongoing series, American Vampire will feature five extra-sized issues with back-to-back tales by Snyder and King.  Rafael Albuquerque takes care of the pictures in what promises to be an exciting new series from the folks that have brought us Preacher, Fables, DMZ and Daytrippers.

Also out this week by Vertigo Comics is the latest in their Veritgo Crime series – Bronx Kill by Peter Milligan and James Romberger.  The lastest tale of noir has to do with a man who wanted nothing more in the world than to be a writer, but that would mean turning his back on the family profession of law enforcement.  But when his wife goes missing, he is forced to start digging into what turns out to be dark secrets (are there any other?).

Also available at Brave New Worlds from the Vertigo Crime line is Bryan Azzarello’s Filthy Rich.  We also have other of noir titles in stock if these two make you happy.

Wait a sec!!!…A new comics day and St Patty’s Day are the same day this year?! Yes…yes they are. Come get your comics before you head out and have a SAFE time celebrating your Irishness or Fake Irishness or what not. Just be sure not to wish Warrne Ellis a Happy St. Patrick’s Day. He could care less. Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s character hails from the 31st Century of the DC Universe! But which one of those zainy teenagers from space will it be?…now that is the question! Hit the jump to see which… Read the rest of this entry »

On March 22nd join us in Old City for the Original Brave New Worlds Book Discussion Club when we will be meeting up to talk about Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s latest comics and soon to be movie sensation [trust me...I’ve seen it] KICK-ASS. Read the rest of this entry »

Since it is supposed to rain all weekend and people will be inside, or off to their favorite comic shop (Brave New Worlds no doubt) to get this weeks new comics, I figured I’d take some time and assemble some stuff that you should look at on the innernette, comic related or not, that is of interest. Check it out… Read the rest of this entry »

Let me paint a picture for you.  It was the mid 1980s and DC had just finished Crisis on Infinite Earths.  One of the many things that ground-breaking series accomplished was reintroducing to the world, one Blue Beetle.

If you guessed this week’s Random Retro Comic Review was going to be an issue of the Blue Beetle, you would have guessed correctly.  But this week’s classic is not just any issue, but the first of the Ted Kord run, Blue Beetle #1 from July 1986, “Out From the Ashes,” by Len Wein and Paris Cullins (of Blue Devil fame).

Since beginning the Random Review, this is the first time I pulled out an issue that I had read before.  And there was a lot going on for my money in this issue (which was three fat old quarters), as the issue explains how Kord became the Beetle, sets up three other story arcs, and also leaves a cliffhanger (invented before the Borg snatched Picard) with our fearless hero in peril.

It was a fun issue to relive even if Wein’s dialogue is tough to digest by today’s standards.  Kord comes off almost like a poor-man’s Spider-Man with all the quips, and the narrative of the villain Firefist (I know, lame), was also difficult to swallow.  But the seeds of Kord’s reign with the scarab (name at least) are all planted in this first issue.