What Comic Books Have You Read Today?

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

Report what comic books you have read today--and tell us a little something about it while you're here!

[Jeff of Earth-J]

STARGIRL: THE LOST CHILDREN #1: I suspect we will be discussing this series in greater detail elsewhere, but I chose this as my "Pick of the Week" because last week's The New Golden Age has already drawn more discussion than any other new comic in recent memory. I suppose now I'll have to score a copy of the Stargirl Spring Break Special somewhere. 

WONDER WOMAN #204 (Facsimile Edition): A reprint of the first first appearance of Nubia. I didn't buy this one, but now I'm kinda wishing I would have. Instead I bought...

IRON MAN #25 (LGY "650"): I don't remember the last time I found Iron Man enjoyable. Certainly not since "Civil War," but before that, too. Every once in a while, though, I pick up an issue of a once-favorite title just to see if it's improved. This is a "milestone" issue of sorts, the last before a "new number one" next month. In the main story, Tony Stark "miraculously" emerges from a fake coma to find that the city council has declared an "Iron Man Day" he is not certain he deserves. He skips it. To be fair, he took a heart attack victim to the hospital (result: inconclusive), but I get the impression he would have blown it off anyway and was happy for the excuse.

The second story reveals that he has secret implants in "most Avengers," that he is in possession of "borrowed" Wakandan vibraniium and mentions "some of the crazy stuff Reed has in his lab that he doesn't know I know about." He also says (jokingly), "We might have to melt Wolverine down to get his adamantium" and remarks on the Hulk's supersonic "gamma farts." So, no change there. 

The third story is a faux reprint (from "Tales of Suspense #126") which features Madame Masque, Senator Byrd, the Mandarin and the Radioactive Man. It's by Kurt Busiek and Benjamin Dewey and is almost worth the price of the book (six bucks)... almost. The issue ends with a one-page preview of "Things to come..." 

SHAOLIN COWBOY: CRUEL TO BE KIN #7: The final issue of the limited series.

AHOY! COMICS: I also bought Highball #3 and Justice Warriors #5.

[Richard Willis]

IRON MAN #25 (LGY "650"):

To be fair, he took a heart attack victim to the hospital (result: inconclusive), but I get the impression he would have blown it off anyway and was happy for the excuse.

Speaking of hearts, do I remember correctly that they fixed Stark's original shrapnel-close-to-heart problem.?

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Oh, yeah... that was a way long time ago.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

BLUNTMAN & CHRONIC: This is a collection of all the "fictional" comics, originally published by Oni Press, based on the "real life" adventures of Jay & Silent Bob. they are all crap except for the one drawn by Mike Allred originally published in Oni Double Feature #12. The collected edition features "afterthoughts" by Ben Affleck and Jason Lee, who play the creators of Bluntman & Chronic, Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards) in Kevin Smith's films. 

CHASING DOGMA: This is the collection of Jay & Silent Bob comics which bridge the gap between the movies Chasing Amy and Dogma. The movie Mallrats foreshadows the appearance of the orangutan Suzanne, but her/its first appearance is actually here. Although she/it later appeared on screen in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, the two appearances don't actually contradict each other; it's more like an alternate series of events. Chapter three basically makes it into the film verbatim, but the film's Federal Wildlife Marshall Willenholly (played by Will Ferrel in the movie) is Marshall Sam Gavert in the comics, and he looks more like Tommy Lee Jones. the introduction to the collected edition is (somewhat reluctantly) written by Alanis Morissette.

[ClarkKent_DC]

Jeff of Earth-J said:

SHE-HULK #7: I was enjoying this series until ClarkKent_DC ruined it for me. :)

SURE! Blame me! 

But keep reading.  

[Jeff of Earth-J]

PARKER GIRLS #3: As with every issue of every Terry Moore series, I get so caught up in the story that the end of the issues always takes me by surprise. More here. My "Pick of the Week."

DEFENDERS #5: Heady heady stuff stuff indeed indeed.

RONIN II #1: Okay I did not buy this one. I specifically remember, at $2.50 apiece, Ronin was the most expensive new comic book I ever bought at the time. It's also the first comic book I read that didn't have thought balloons or captions, just pictures and dialogue. I appreciated it at the time, but I have little no interest in a sequel. There's no price on the cover (except the barcode on the back), but it eight bucks (in case you're curious).

SPIDER-MAN #14: I didn't buy this one, either. It's the first part of the "Dark Web" crossover that is going to drive me away from this series.

DOCTOR STTRANGE: FALL SUNRISE #1: I didn't buy this one, either, but I'm kind of wishing I did. I flipped through it and it had an interesting art style. But this is supposed to be "What comics have you read today?" not "What comics didn't you buy last week?"

MIRACLEMAN #2: Okay, I did buy this one, but I'm waiting to read it.

GENIS VELL: CAPTAIN MARVEL #5: Homage alert.

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Follow Me Down - The latest Reckless book Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. This lets us know what Ethan Reckless was up to when Anna was having her own adventure in the last book. Ethan is asked by one of his neighbors to find his son's wife. We soon learn why he hates missing persons cases. It takes place shortly after the San Francisco earthquake in 1989. I thought this was pretty great, as all of the Reckless books have been.

Telepaths #1-6 - This came out last year, but I was actually missing the first issue. I got it a long time ago, and just now got around to reading the whole thing. Here a solar flare hits the Earth, and everyone on the planet blacks out for 30 minutes. Once they awaken a percentage have developed mental abilities. Telepathy is the first thing they discover, later telekinesis, mind control, etc.

With the two main characters, we get a cop from Boston, and a convict who escapes prison and goes back to Boston to do whatever he wants, before he needs to leave (knowing that the government will have to strike hard soon). The police officer is teamed-up with some other officers to go in and stop them. This was a very good series written by JMS and Steve Epting on art. I appreciated the way JMS addressed what would happen in the real world when there are suddenly millions of mind readers who are walking around. Definitely left open for a sequel which I would be up to reading

[The Baron]

Batgirls 2022 Annual -  Still enjoying this series immensely. Caan't recommend it enough.

Justice Society of America #1 -Not overwelemed by this first issue, but it's the JSA, so I'll give it a chance.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #1: I am intrigued by the multiple time-jumps in this issue but, if I'm reading this correctly, the main action occurs 26 years in the future. I mean, that's okay, but I'm not particularly interested in following an alternate timeline that will be forgotten a few years from now. Selina Kyle is put off that the "JSA" is made up of former villains (and the offspring of villains), and frankly so am I. It was a relief when [SPOILER] Per Degaton killed them [END SPOILER]. Now, this Huntress from the future has been thrust back to 1940, presumably to write the *NEW!* history of the JSa in the newly-restored multiverse. Jim Starlin did the same thing with Thanos a few years ago, and so did Steve Englehart with Mantis: just wipe the slate clean and start over. That's actually fine with me. Continuity (as we once knew it) no longer exists; I acknowledge that.

CAT-MAN AND KITTEN #1: I had very low expectations for this book and bought it only because I was curious to see a modern take on these "super-weird heroes. " I had expected it to be along the lines of Project: Super-Powers but came away from it very pleasantly surprised indeed. It is written by Jeff Parker, who has written a decent super-hero story or two in his time. The year is 1948 and it takes place in an already-established super-hero universe (with guest appearances by Marvel and Skyman). There is also a plucky girl reporter named Lindy. I don't know how closely this hues to 1940s continuity, but it really doesn't matter; everything you need to know is explained within the context of the story. It's done-in-one but I don't even know if it's an ongoing of a one-shot. It's numbered "1" but that doesn't mean anything. (Speaking of which, see below.) Also, did you know this comic book has eleven different covers? Most of them are incentive based, so I saw only the three "main" ones, but they are all pictured within. My LCS ordered one of each of the three main ones, and I got there early enough to pick the one I wanted.

SUPERMAN: KAL-EL RETURNS SPECIAL #1: "Special" and "#1" seem to contradict each other (unless there's a forthcoming Superman: Kal-El Returns Special #2 in the works). I considered buying this one, but ultimately did not. In addition to the title/number (which just kind of annoys me), the internal artwork was inconsistent. Also, speaking of "continuity" (or the lack thereof), it seems Superman has been off on a mission in space somewhere; that's why his kid has taken over for him. But wait! Wasn't he also "killed" along with the rest of the JLA? Now they are all back, too. When do these stories occur in relation to each other? I can't be the only one who cares about this, but I think I am. (I may acknowledge continuity no longer exists, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it.) 

CAPTAIN AMERICA: SYMBOL OF TRUTH #7: I think I noted last month that, had I noticed Captain America: SOT #6 was "part one" I would have dropped it. Because I have also dropped Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty, I took this opportunity to drop SOT one month late.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE: ALPHA #1: I flipped through this one, but let's be honest: with Avengers: War Across Time on the horizon, why start a different Avengers series now? (And again, is there going to be an "Alpha #2"?)

DOCTOR STRANGE: FALL SUNRISE #1: I mentioned this one last week. I didn't buy it then but I gave it another look today. I really like the art, but I couldn't get a feel for the story. Do I really want to invest in another mini-series? (Then again: built in "jumping off point.") Is anyone else out there reading this who can tell me what it's like?

MY BAD (v2) #1: To quote from this issue's intro page: "What's this comic about? Some people put costumes on and fight crime. Others put costumes on an commit crimes. These are their stories." this "Important New Superhero Universe" is by Mark Russell, one of my three current "go to" writers. My "Pick of the Week."

[The Baron]

I think there's more likely to be an Omega #1.

Jeff of Earth-J said:

(And again, is there going to be an "Alpha #2"?)

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Ligth week... very light week.

QUICK STOPS #2: I was all set to make this my 'pick of the week" but, as much as I enjoyed #1, I hated #2. I didn't realize this, but Randall Graves and Brodie Bruce are cousins (not that it really matters, I guess).

CAPTAIN AMERICA: SENTINEL OF LIBERTY #7: I made up my mind last month that I was going to drop this title with #6, but this is such a light week I decided to flip through it anyway. It starts with a meeting between Steve Rogers and the Sub-Mariner. Then Steve contacts Roger Aubrey (the Destroyer) by phone. the he reunites with Sharon Carter.* (Yay!) The next they, they attend a clandestine meeting with Hawkeye, the Black Widow, Samuel L. Jackson Nick Fury, Jr., Peggy Carter and Roger Aubrey. I haven't really thought too much of this series so far (which is why I had decided to drop it), but in this meeting Captain America summarizes "the story so far"; #7 is the best of the series so far and renders the others quite unnecessary. I may just continue reading at this point. I'll designate this one my "Pick of the Week."

*Regarding Sharon Carter, the last time I saw her she looked ten years older than we might expect having spent a decade in "Dimension X" or "Z" or wherever-it-was. She's young again here, with no explanation (that i know of), but that's okay because continuity doesn't exist anymore anyway.

FANTASTIC FOUR #2: Here's another series I decided to drop but, it being a slow day, yadda, yadda, yadda. My main problem with last issue was that, for a comic titled/numbered Fantastic Four #1, the Fantastic Four weren't in it. They're not in this one, either, and next issue will feature the Torch solo. Speaking as someone who hasn't been reading FF for a while, when I buy the first issue of their new number one, I expect to see the Fantastic Four. Beyond that, the stories themselves aren't bad. This one features Reed & Sue in a town populated by Doombots. (In that respect it reminds me of FF Annual #17, in which a town had been drinking milk from Skrull cows. Again, if this had been a normal week, I wouldn't have bought this one, either.

DOCTOR STRANGE: FALL SUNRISE #1: If I'd've thought of it, this week was light enough I really should have picked this one up, too, but I didn't. 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Oh, I forgot to mention Mr. Fantastic's new power yesterday. In order to disguise himself, he reshapes his face. But that's not a new power; John Byrne introduced his ability to do that back in the '80s. I just thought I'd mention it because it's unusual. His new power... in one scene, without saying anything about doing so at all, he moves his eyeballs to his fingertips! First, ew. Second, how do his powers even work that way? He's just standing there with empty eye sockets, using his hands to more closely inspect something.