The X-Men line is often accused of being too extensive and bloated. And, honestly, sometimes it is. Yet, especially in the last five years, the X-Men line has also been the source of some surprising gems that for one reason or another went overlooked by the comic book audience. These excellent titles flew under the radar and were soon canceled- too soon, if you ask me. But…

ACTION COMICS #11

AGE OF APOCALYPSE #5

ALIEN FACEHUGGER PLUSH

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #689

ANIMAL MAN #11

ART OF BARON VON LIND SC VOL 02

ARTIFACTS #19

AVENGERS VS X-MEN #7 (OF 12) AVX

BATMAN & ROBIN HC VOL 01 BORN TO KILL

BATMAN EARTH ONE HC

BATWING #11

BEFORE WATCHMEN OZYMANDIAS #1 (OF 6) (MR)

BOYS #68 (MR)

BTVS SEASON 9 TP FREEFALL

CAPE 1969 #1 (OF 4)

CASTLE WAITING VOL II #17

CREATOR OWNED HEROES…

ALL STAR WESTERN #10

ALTER EGO #110

AMAZING FANTASY 15 SPIDER-MAN

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #688

AMERICAN VAMPIRE #28 (MR)

ANGEL & FAITH #11

AQUAMAN #10

ARCHIE #634

ARKHAM CITY KILLER CROC DLX 4 PIECE CASE

ARKHAM CITY MR FREEZE DLX 4 PIECE CAS

ATOMIC ROBO FLYING SHE DEVILS PACIFIC #1 (OF 5)

ATOMIC ROBO REAL SCIENCE ADV #3

BACK ISSUE #57

BARRY SONNENFELDS DINOSAURS VS ALIENS HC

BART SIMPSON COMICS #72

BATMAN 52…

Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

There’s nothing an ink-stained wretch like this reviewer can add to the poignancy and lyrical beauty of Oscar Wilde’s stories. Fortunately, there’s plenty legendary artist P. Craig Russell can add, as he does in The Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde Volume 5: The Happy Prince (NBM, $16.99).

 …

I’m usually on the lookout for interesting new comics and this past spring seemed especially promising with a number of new projects by familiar creative teams. Indeed, some series exceeded my expectations and are quickly becoming new favorites. However, others didn’t click right. They’re not horrible comics; they’re even well crafted to some extent but, for one reason or…

The “spin-off” is a peculiar feature of fiction.  It isn’t birthed from creative inspiration, except indirectly.  The spin-off is designed to commercially exploit a supporting character who turns out to be more popular than expected.  The reasoning goes, if “X” character is so popular, then if we give him his own venue, his fans will follow.

Thus,…

ADVENTURE TIME #5

ADVENTURE TIME GRASS SCENE T/S

ALABASTER WOLVES #3 (OF 5)

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MOVIE PRELUDE TP

ANGEL & FAITH TP VOL 01 LIVE THROUGH THIS

ART OF HOWARD CHAYKIN HC (MR)

ASTONISHING X-MEN #51

ATLAS UNIFIED #2 (RES)

AVENGERS ACADEMY #32 AVX

AVENGERS VS X-MEN #6 (OF 12) AVX

AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #8 ENDS

BALTIMORE DR LESKOVARS REMEDY #1 (OF 2)

BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #5

BATMAN VS THE BLACK GLOVE DLX ED…

Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

The new Gone to Amerikay (DC/Vertigo, $24.99) is not only a terrific graphic novel, it is a quintessentially American one.

The plot is actually three plots, following three Irish characters who arrive in America in three different time periods (although the…

The Captain confesses

Rectifying a reprint wrong

By Andrew A. Smith

Contributing Editor

The Captain’s readers – honorary members of the Legion of Superfluous Heroes, all! – have been pretty vocal of late. This month’s mailbag contains questions about comic strips, the best “Favorite Find” story I’ve…

Lee Houston, who created "Hugh Monn, Private Detective," has another title out from Pro Se Press. Looks like "Project Alpha" has a superhero-y flavor, and deserves our support! Here's the press release:

From Pro Se Press

June 3, 2012

Pro Se Productions, a leader in New Pulp, announces its latest title from Pro Se author Lee Houston, Jr.!



From the creator of Hugh Monn, Private Detective, comes PROJECT ALPHA!  A tale of cosmic…

ADVENTURE TIME FINN VS ICE KING PX T/S

ALPHA GIRL #3 (MR)

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #687 ENDS

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN IN MOTION POSTER

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MOVIE #2

AMERICAN VAMPIRE LORD NIGHTMARES #1 OF 5 (MR)

AVENGERS #27 AVX

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #4

AVX VS #3 (OF 6)

BAD MEDICINE #1 REG ED

BAD MEDICINE #2

BATGIRL #10

BATMAN #10

BATMAN AND ROBIN #10

BATMAN ARKHAM UNHINGED #3

BATTLE SCARS TP

BATWOMAN HC VOL 01…

Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

May was a big month for DC Comics, and it saved some of the best for last.

The first collections of DC’s New 52 – the massive re-launch of the publisher’s entire line of superhero titles, which took place last September – arrived in May, with predictable big titles…

Last month (Sorry about that folks, I (anacoqui) have been much too busy!), I started a series on the 100 greatest comic book characters of the ‘30s and ‘40s. I’ve been progressing…

Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

May 29, 2012 -- Award-winning book designer Chip Kidd loves design. And he loves Batman. And he loves comics. And he loves writing. Combine all that, and you get his first graphic novel, Batman: Death by Design (DC Comics, $24.99).

Kidd has written a couple of novels, several comic-book stories and some non-fiction books (two on Batman). But this was his first long-form comics…