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It’s hard to believe we still have to wait another three weeks for the next Infinite Crisis…I wish I could get one every single week. DC starts capitalizing on the emotional value of the mega-series this week though, which makes the greatness of issue four even greater…er. All that AND the end of a legend at Marvel. Onward!

SPOTLIGHT ISSUES:

Daredevil #81:

Okay, so if you are one of the kind souls who reads this column every week, you’re probably sick of me writing about Bendis on Daredevil. Fortunately for you, and unfortunately for the rest of us, this is the last time I’ll have that privilege. The current arc has taken Matt Murdock through the depths of grief, marriage, the return of his deadliest enemy and everything else, including the kitchen sink. Hell, Bendis even made the Owl a scary villain. His gritty take on a character too often taken lightly was refreshing and new in a classic way. The stories he crafted were perfect, the dialogue he penned impeccable, and his vision of Daredevil equaled only by the likes of Frank Miller. Alex Maleev’s art matched Bendis’ writing as well as it did the dirty, trash-covered streets of Hell’s Kitchen, and it makes me sad to think we may never see him draw Daredevil leaping between buildings in the rain again. This issue was a perfect end to a perfect run. Four years of perfection. That doesn’t come around very often, and Brubaker and Lark, the unlucky souls who have to follow Bendis and Maleev, have their work cut out for them. Still, Bendis left them a pretty great beginning. Buy this book and find out what it is, and if you haven’t read it, go pick up the trades and enjoy!

Adventures of Superman #648 and Wonder Woman #225:

The only problem I’ve had with Infinite Crisis, as I stated before, is that there is so much huge stuff happening that the emotional resonance of the events doesn’t really set in during the book. Well, they’ve taken the smart approach, and begun making a huge effort to have the emotional resonance be felt throughout the satellite books, such as these two. In doing so, the momentousness of the events isn’t lost, and they further their goal of creating a more cohesive universe. In Adventures, we get a no-dialogue tribute to Bludhaven, the only words being an article written by Lois Lane, which weaves itself throughout the issue. This issue and Wonder Woman, also written by Greg Rucka, remind us of why Earth 2 Superman is wrong about the heroes he seeks to replace––they are noble, they’ve just been mired in ignoble things recently. Keep an eye on these “smaller” books––Crisis may be where the action is, but these are where the heart is.

FUN SIZE REVIEWS:

Spider-Man: The Other #12:

Well, it’s over, for better or worse. This issue doesn’t really wrap up a lot of the open questions brought up in this series, as we don’t know the full extent of Spider-Man’s new powers and it’s still hard to say exactly what happened with the great Spider Totem in the sky. Still, it’s over, and it was an entertaining, if confusing and sometimes frustrating, ride.

Ultimate Spider-Man #89:

Part four of the Silver Sable arc rolls in this week in an impressive issue that sees Bendis trying out a fancy new storytelling trick, using flashbacks to illustrate the origin of Silver Sable and reinforce what we know about Peter. Good issue.

Wolverine #38:

Wolverine’s quest to track down the specifics of his past continues to heat up as he explores the Weapon X facility, and we get some flashbacks that reveal whole new sections of his past. Huge surprise on the last page, which looks to connect this book to another high profile Marvel book/storyline. Look for this story to heat up even more in the new ongoing Wolverine: Origins, which will be out in April.

New Avengers #15:

As a quick note, you should read this issue before you read The Pulse, since that book refers heavily to events that take place here. As was stated at the end of the last issue, it’s time for the Avengers to meet the world, and they make the interesting choice of doing so through J. Jonah Jameson. Great issue, though don’t expect it to be chock full of action––this is a character piece, and nobody does them better than Bendis.

The Pulse #13

: In case you skipped the last review, MAKE SURE to read New Avengers before you read this, unless of course you aren’t reading New Avengers. At the end of last issue, Jessica Jones was in labor and had just settled into Dr. Strange’s abode, where she waited to give birth. This issue starts there and ends with the newest addition to the Avenger family, as well as a touching surprise that many of you may have seen coming. Worth the read, as it’s a beautiful story that’s also filled with plenty of #?!?$ing curse words.

Batman #649:

The heat on this book just keeps rising––it seems like at some point it will have to break and subside, but that doesn’t seem like it’s happening any time soon. There’s a new development to the shocking end of last issue, and we see the effects of Bludhaven’s destruction on Batman. Don’t miss the best monthly Bat-book there is––next month looks to be a doozy, too.

Catwoman #51:

NOTE––IF YOU HAVEN’T READ LAST MONTH’S ISSUE, DON’T READ THIS REVIEW I was pretty dissatisfied with the “surprise” revelation in the last issue that Zatanna had mind-wiped Catwoman and “made” her into a hero. I didn’t want to talk about it too much then so that the people who hadn’t read the book wouldn’t be offended, but basically, my problem was this. They (the heroes) were mind-wiping rapists and potential murderers who knew their secret identities. Catwoman may be elusive, but she’s just a thief, not a super-villain worthy of this act they claim to be ashamed of. Maybe down the road we’ll see it was a measure taken to control Batman, but until then…But I digress. This issue is a large step up from the last, with Catwoman making believably drastic decisions in the wake of her realization. There’s a good verbal showdown with Bruce Wayne, and a soap-opera like revelation on the last page (seems like a big week for those…).

NEWS BRIEFS:

––DC released more details of its plans for 52, their weekly series that will cover the entire year skipped during the One Year Later jump. The book will be priced at $2.50, and DC is now guaranteeing it will come out weekly, every week for an entire year, beginning on May 10. The writers are Grant Morrisson, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid. J.G. Jones will attempt to do the covers for the entire series. Only time will tell if this book lives up to its huge potential, and the huge promises DC has made regarding its content and shipping schedule. But the price is good news, and that’s definitely an impressive roster of writers.

––As exciting as the info on 52 is, the news that has me really drooling is the new creative team on Detective Comics after the OYL jump. Starting sometime after the OYL and staying for at least 12 issues, this legendary book will be penned by Paul Dini, of Batman: The Animated Series and Lost fame. He is a great writer who has already proven that he has an incredible vision for Batman. He told Newsarama.com that his run will consist of less huge arcs, and more of single issue stories or two-issue arcs (keeping the pace and form much more like the Animated Series, we can assume). Not enough for you? The artist will be none other than Rags Morales!

Thought the column was super this week? Thought it was krypto-kraptastic? Send all love letters and hate mail to me at skio84@charter.net. I also read palms.

Wow––a huge week for DC, and a great one for fans. Let’s get to it.

SPOTLIGHT ISSUES:

Infinite Crisis #4:

I said it before and I’ll say it again: wow. Finally, as we pass this series halfway point, Infinite Crisis lives up to its incredible heritage. I liked this series before, as the writing and art have been good, but this is the first issue of IC that really grabbed me the way that Crisis on Infinite Earths did. By the end of this issue, we really know what’s happening, who’s behind it, and what it could start to mean for the DC Universe over the next three issues. Hats off to Geoff Johns and co. for living up to their (considerable) hype. I don’t want to give any of the catastrophic changes, and believe me––there are plenty of them, from a jaw-dropper in the first few pages to a…I don’t know, jaw breaker on the last few; I.C. #4 is as good as any issue I read all of last year. I’m salivating for the next three, and I’d put good odds on it that you’ll be doing the same after you read it.

All-Star Superman #2:

Although this book has received tons and tons of much-deserved praise, it seems in some ways quaint when compared to the commotion that surrounds each new issue of Crisis. It is a very different kind of book, though––small in every way that Crisis is huge. Crisis covers all of the DC Universe, playing with and changing decades of continuity. All-Star Superman #2 has a whopping one issue of continuity and two characters in it (who aren’t robots or future-Supermen). It’s a touching story, a beautifully written and drawn book, and it’s the standard for All-Star books. Morrisson and Quitely are giving us something that is both iconic and brand new, classic and groundbreaking, all in one masterful stroke.

FUN SIZE REVIEWS:

Spider-Man: The Other #10 & 11:

I hope you weren’t one of those people who read the last few issues and said, “Well, at least it can’t get any weirder.” These issues sees a new, frighteningly odd villain for Spider-Man, as well as a frighteningly strange new power, which we are told spiders may evolve into in the future. On a brighter note––Pat Lee’s art in Marvel Knights has gotten much, much better, as he’s drawing things a little more comic-like and a little-less manga-ish.

Nightwing #116:

First off, and most importantly, DO NOT READ THIS ISSUE UNTIL YOU’VE READ INFINITE CRISIS #4, unless you aren’t reading that series, in which case you’ll be able to piece together what happened in it pretty quickly. This is another Sacrifice/OMAC style slip-up on DC’s shipping schedule, but with an event as big as the one they’ve got going on, a few of those are to be expected. This is a great issue, and Nightwing’s thoughts over the first few pages seem to be a pretty thinly veiled expression of writer Devin Grayson’s problems with DC’s editorial control of her book. She had a different ending planned out, but then Infinite Crisis #4 was happening, and she had to take it in a new direction. She did so with grace and great skill, turning out one of her best issues on the book to date.

Batgirl #72:

Make sure to pick this issue up––it could be a bit of a dark horse controversy. Potentially huge events go down here, as Batgirl fights her “brother” Mad Dog, under the eye of Lady Shiva. The end is surprising, and the words at the end describing next issue even more so. Good writing, but maybe a disappointing turn of events here. Stay tuned.

Green Lantern #7:

The son of Mongul arrives on Earth seeking to capture it, thus reversing the failure of his father. Fortunately for Earth, he has to go through Green Arrow and Green Lantern first. Good action and great writing from Geoff Johns, and Carlos Pacheco turns in an impressive set of pencils. Worth the read.

Incredible Hulk #91:

This is the last issue of the Peace in Our Time arc, which launches us into the beginning of the Planet Hulk event, which starts next month. The final battle between Hulk and the super-satellite goes down in a great, Hulk-like way. Harder to find a more entertaining character to watch fight things, I have to admit. As its own arc, this was okay––not great, not bad, but pretty entertaining. As a set-up to a larger event, it is intriguing. Planet Hulk is something Marvel’s excited about, and the end of this issue leaves me pretty excited as well.

NEWS BRIEFS:

––The big news from Marvel this month is the complete re-vamping of their Marvel Knights line, which will cease to exist as we knew it. In April and May all the character titles currently running under Marvel Knights are going to fold into the Marvel Heroes line that almost all of their books run in. MK Spider-Man will become Sensational Spider-Man, MK 4 will become 4, and so on. These titles are NOT being cancelled, just moved. Marvel Knights will remain as a way for creators to do character mini-series, similar to the Loki book that came out recently.

––I laid out a quick sketch of the Marvel big events last week, assuming that most people would be familiar with the DC goings-on. A few people mentioned that they’d appreciate a quick DC primer as well, so: Infinite Crisis will finish at issue seven. In March, before that series ends, the whole universe will undergo the OYL, or one year later, jump. All continuity will be jumped forward by one year. After the jump, and after Crisis ends, DC will be running a book called 52, which will be an ongoing book that will ship weekly, for an entire year. It features the biggest and best of DC’s staff, and is maybe the most grandiose comics experiment in company history. Time will tell if they can pull it off, but with Grant Morrisson and co. working on it, it’s hard to imagine it wouldn’t be good.

Exciting week––I hope you all enjoyed it. Send all love and hate mail to skio84@charter.net. See you in a week.

Another slow week sees a few debuts, some interesting news, and a new book collecting all of Alan Moore’s work in the DC Universe. What? You wanted me to rhyme three in a row? Not happening. On to the comics!

SPOTLIGHT ISSUES:

X-Men: 198 #1:

The most recent, and to my knowledge the last, of the post-House of M books is debuting this week with David Hine’s X-Men: 198, with art by Jim Muniz. This book is supposed to follow the collective fate of The 198, which is the remaining number of mutants left in the world after the House of M mutant decimation. This number, down from approximately 2 million, once again places mutants in the category of genetic outsiders, without the numbers needed to protect themselves from worldwide prejudice and hatred. Some have seen this move as gimmicky, and a continuity tidying up with no value. To me, that’s as senseless as saying the same thing about DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths. Yes, there was a clean-up here, but mutant-kind has been returned to its roots, as a civil rights analogue. This issue sees the remaining mutants of the world gathering (as they are being semi-forced to) at Xavier’s Institute, which is being guarded by the more-than-a-little ominous Sentinels. We meet a few new faces and discover the fate of a few more. The story looks cool, with more than enough meat to sustain a five issue miniseries, and the dialogue is pretty good. The only downside is the sometimes awkward and over-lined art (see 60 year old Cyclops in the last panel). Looks like Marvel has a winner, though––it’s worth a read.

FUN SIZE REVIEWS:

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #199:

This last issue of a great under-the-radar three issue arc delivered the goods. The man who dedicated the last of his life to Batman gets his revenge––but what is that revenge? He’s been trying to get Batman’s attention––now that he has it, what does he have planned? The answer surprised me, and it should surprise you, too. Great issue, great arc. Kudos and farewell to Will Pfeifer as he departs LOTDK, leaving him with just his day job writing Catwoman.

Son of M #2:

This book, also written by X-Men: 198’s David Hine, is a bit harder to peg. The first issue seemed to imply that we’d get a deep, emotional analysis of the effects of House of M on Spider-Man and the former Quicksilver. This issue has Pietro with the Inhumans, trying desperately to get his powers back. A transitory issue, probably, but it looks like the story to come will be good; the first issue was spectacular, so I guess we’ll just have to trust Hine not to lead us astray.

Ultimate Extinction #1:

The Ultimate Universe is (finally) about to be rocked to its very foundations by the monstrous Gah Lak Tus. I’ve been waiting with bated breath for this book since I first heard about it––in the regular Marvel U, it took all of the world’s heroes to keep Galactus from destroying the world. Well, this is the Ultimate U, with about a tenth as many heroes, no nullifier, and a drastically different Galactus (I assume based on young Reed’s projections), as well as a drastically different Silver Surfer, who makes his Ultimate debut in this issue. Worth every penny and then some. This might end up being a monstrous book, so watch for it to break into the Spotlight in future issues.

Ultimate X-Men #66:

The Ultimate Universe’s second biggest debut is Robert Kirkman taking over for Brian Vaughan on UXM. It’s a shame to see BKV go. I’d been looking forward to the now-delayed Bryan Singer run on the title, but getting Kirkman certainly isn’t “settling.” He’s a great writer, with a great eye for character––he proves it in this issue, the first part of his Date Night arc, by managing to provide a stable jumping off point for the future. He deftly shows us all of the current X-Men, catching us up on who’s alive, who’s in love with who, and who’s where, so we know where things stand. Don’t be mislead by the cover, however––this is not an issue about Ultimate Phoenix.

JLA #124:

Sigh sigh sigh. I hope no one thinks I’m being unduly harsh to DC this week, but it’s not really their best work. Next week will see an All-Star Superman issue as well as Infinite Crisis, and I’m sure I’ll be full of praise for those titles, but this book leaves me so flat. I wouldn’t still be reading it, except that there’s only one more issue after this, and I feel like I need to sit up all night with it, holding it’s hand and awaiting its unceremonious passing. Writing––not good. Story––strange. Art––bad. The Seven Deadly Sins have been unleashed on Gotham, and one of them gets a little too close to Green Arrow. See what happens, and get set up for next month’s finale to the book.

TRADE REVIEWS:

DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore:

If DC had put first things first, this book would be called The Stories of Alan Moore: DC Universe. If there’s one writer whose vision manages to somehow be even greater than an entire universe of decades-old characters it’s Moore, and this book shows it. Here he plays with the big toys, Superman and Batman, as well as the smaller figures in DC’s playbox, such as Vigilante, and the Phantom Stranger. If you haven’t read Killing Joke, buy this for that, as well as the superb Superman stories. Everything is top-notch though, and the art is usually great as well. A necessary addition to all fans of Moore, DC, or good comics.

NEWS BRIEFS:

––December sales figures are in, as are the end of the year analyses. I hate to talk dollars and cents too much, but some of these numbers are pretty exciting. First and foremost, more comics are being sold, which is great. Sales are up across the board, probably the result of (gasp) better products being produced by the two big companies as well as a healthy amount of mainstream attention.

––As promised, although none of this is exactly breaking news, here is my nickel tour of Marvel’s big events for 2006, since I assume you know about DC’s. The first, although I understand that they all tie together, is Planet Hulk, which is already more or less beginning in the pages of Incredible Hulk. It seems like more or less, the story is that the Hulk gets dropped onto another planet, and has to fight huge ugly monsters to stay alive. So far, so good. Then there’s Annihilation, which will feature Marvel’s spacey heroes, such as Nova and Silver Surfer. That book will be accompanied by corresponding miniseries for each of the heroes involved, and they’ll begin shipping in April. Then there’s the big event, Civil War, which seems to be basically what it sounds like. Seeds are being sowed in the presence of the Illuminati, which Bendis has been using for quite some time (they’re the uber-exclusive group including Charles Xavier, Dr. Strange, Namor, etc. that decides the answers to big questions for Marvel’s heroes). These events all sound like they have huge potential, and I’m looking forward to seeing how things play out over the next year.

I hope everyone is resting up for next week–another Crisis issue will be hitting. Send all Valentine’s or hate mail to skio84@charter.net. See you next week!

Greetings, comics compatriots––we’re getting some semblance of a breather this week, with mostly second-tier books out. Fortunately, many of these books rose to the challenge and kept this week interesting. Let’s check it out.

SPOTLIGHT ISSUES:

Day of Vengeance Special #1:

This Infinite Crisis tie-in is the first of four that will be published, with each one corresponding to a different Crisis mini-series. They are meant to catch us up on the characters that starred in the original Day of Vengeance mini, and to remind us of how the events of that book are still important to the larger Crisis. In other words, DC is cleverly managing to get four dollars from you to in order to make you feel better about the money you put down a few months back. Day of Vengeance was a top-tier mini, and this special is as well. It is also significant in that it is a bridge to the soon-to-be ongoing Shadowpact series that will debut later this year. This special fills us in on the new team members (Shadowpact gets a valuable new ally in Nabu, the God that gave Dr. Fate his power), as well as showing us what’s happening to the old, as they continue to fight against the madness of the Spectre. This book is good, and worth the extra buck––check it out to see if these heroes will be able to put a halt to the magical Armageddon that’s rocking the DC Universe.

Mythos #1 (X-Men):

Marvel is going back to its roots with the new series, Mythos. The title is meant to bring the origin stories of the Marvel Universe into a modern sensibility, painted lavishly by Paolo Rivera, with re- written dialogue that’s a little less…well, sixties. The project lets new readers see the birth of Marvel’s biggest characters, while staying more true to those stories than the complete reimaginings of the Ultimate Universe. This issue, the first in the series, re-does X-Men #1, a 1963 release by the incomparable Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The script of Mythos’ re-telling was done by Paul Jenkins, and it does have a bit more modern crispness to it than Stan’s rather Stan-like dialogue. The painted art is unbelievable, well worth the $3.99 price alone. About the only qualm I have with this series is that while it is an interesting look at how the art of writing comics has changed from the 60s to 2006, it lacks the old Marvel creativity that a bigger project such as the Ultimate Universe possesses. Still, Mythos is an interesting, engaging title – and one I would recommend.

FUN SIZE REVIEWS:

Note- I will be reviewing (in brief) more books than usual this week, since the big hitters aren’t coming out right now. If you’re looking for something new to obsess over, glance through these, and you might find a title that will hook you.

Y: The Last Man #41:

Great as usual––if you aren’t buying this yet, pick the old trades up and get caught up RIGHT NOW. This issue is the long, long, long-awaited origin of Agent 355. It was worth the wait.

Gotham Central #39:

It’s going to be a sad day when this book goes onto shelves for the last time. Unfortunately, that day is coming rather soon, as this is the next-to-last issue of Greg Rucka’s wonderful Gotham Central. Detective Crispin Allen, one of Gotham’s most famous cops and partner of Renee Montoya, has been murdered. Why? By whom? And will they get away with it? DC promises that in the upcoming mega-megaseries, 52, Montoya will go a bit crazy––this is where the unraveling begins, and it’s brutally good.

Marvel Zombies #2:

My only worry about this series was that writer Robert Kirkman wouldn’t take enough creative license, and settle for “just” cool zombie action. The second issue of this series has dispelled any fears I may have had on this front. This book is wildly creative, and the appearance of the Silver Surfer in the first issue, as well as what he has to say in this one, assures me that Kirkman has plenty up his sleeve for the remaining books. Definitely make sure to pick this up––guaranteed to become a cult classic.

Marvel Team-Up #16:

Kirkman delivers another stellar issue this week with Marvel Team-Up. This arc, in case you aren’t reading it, is called League of Losers, and it features every Marvel red-inker from Darkhawk to Speedball. A villain from the future, who has seen the research on all the big guns, has come back in time and eliminated all of the Marvel Universe’s premier heroes. Because of this, it is up to this band of sad-sacks to save the universe. Great premise, good art, and overall, a pretty nice book.

Batman and the Monster Men #3:

This is a must buy every month. I don’t have a whole lot of new stuff to say about it, but I wanted to write this review because the book is so good I enjoy just thinking about it. In this issue, Batman begins to unravel the mystery surrounding the brutal deaths of some of Gotham’s sleaziest underworld-inhabitants. Three issues in, this series has already proved itself a classic. Don’t miss out on it.

Jonah Hex #3

: This book could really become a great thing––it’s been solidly good for the first two issues, and it’s making huge strides with each passing month. This month features Bat Lash, DC’s second most famous cowboy, who’s considerably easier on the eyes than Jonah. If you’ve liked what you’ve seen so far, you’ll love this issue - and if you haven’t checked this title out, you should give it a try.

Superman #225:

This is one of the few books DC is putting out right now that has the ability to appeal to almost all of their fans. It ties into the Crisis stories in a loose way, referencing Batman’s biting line to Superman about his lack of inspiration - and shows Superman trying to deal with it. Yet, if you haven’t been reading Crisis, it’s a simply beautiful Superman story about why he is inspiring. Promising work from Mark Verheiden, who will be writing Superman/Batman after Jeph Loeb leaves the title.

Detective Comics #815:

Hooray! Finally, the twelve-part crap-o-rama that was the City of Crime story is finished, and now a new team can take over. That new team, Shane McCarthy writing, and Cliff Chiang drawing, gave me more enjoyment in one issue than this book has produced in a year, with an intelligent story about one of Batman’s most under-used villains: Mr. Zsasz. Definitely worth checking out, and be happy we have three Batman titles with good creative teams and good stories––it’s an unfortunate rarity.

JSA #81:

It’s hard not to like anything Geoff Johns touches––just look at JSA. The book is about a group of heroes that most people wouldn’t ordinarily follow, yet his ability to cut to the core of so many no- namers brings a ton of fans to see them each month. This month’s story, about Stargirl, is a classic example. In most writers’ hands, I couldn’t care less––if I were to find out Johns was doing a three- issue mini on her, I’d buy it after reading this month’s JSA. If you haven’t read any JSA tales, you should pick up some of the trades. Be sure to check out this title next month, as Johns temporarily hands over the writing reigns to legendary JSA scribe Paul Levitz (with George Perez on art) for a special Crisis tie-in tale.

TRADE REVIEWS:

My Christmas Haul: It was a pretty lucky Christmas for me, comics wise. These are kind of random, but I thought I’d give a quick rundown on the books I got, in case you have some extra Christmas cash to burn or, as I do, some post-holiday birthday presents to find.

ABSOLUTE WATCHMEN:

In the spirit of the newly passed season, I have to admit I didn’t really get this as a present, but rather bought it with some generously donated Christmas money. Words cannot describe the beauty of this book––the special features, which include a few pages of Alan Moore’s “artist-proof” script, are incredibly interesting, but what really makes it worth the hefty price tag is the touch-up on the art throughout. When I first read Watchmen, it was in a dingy, beat-up paperback trade that was hardly a worthy treatment for what I’d been told was “the best comic of all time.” The colors on most circulating copies are blurred, or dull––the ABSOLUTE version has been entirely repainted under the supervision of the original artists, and it looks great. Not a cheap pickup, but a worthy addition to any serious fan’s shelf. < Get Absolute Watchmen for 20% off cover price at Pulp Fiction >

The Walking Dead Deluxe Hardcover:

This was a gift, and an incredibly generous one at that. I’d read everything else by Robert Kirkman, and this book caught me up on the entire run of Walking Dead, a truly special zombie comic by the esteemed writer. Written out of Kirkman’s desire to have a zombie movie that never ended, this book takes us through more than even a trilogy of movies would allow us to see. Since it was one of Kirkman’s first projects as a writer, the dialogue takes a few issues to take hold and get moving, but the plotting is fantastic throughout, and as the issues progress, the scripting steps up to match it. The art, black and white and haunting as hell, looks great on these blown up, glossy pages. Again, a bit more than your average comic, but also well worth it for any Kirkman fans, or any fans of zombie movies that haven’t yet experienced the truly innovative Walking Dead series.

Maus:

Wow, it was a brainy Christmas. Almost everyone I know who doesn’t think Watchmen was the best comic of all time would argue that Maus is. I’d never read this book before, but I admit, I was blown away. It wasn’t showy or shocking the way Watchmen was when I first read it so many years ago, but rather one of those works of art that seems rooted to the core of the earth, as though it’s a necessary thing for this book to exist in the world. The idea of telling a true holocaust survival story using cats and mice is a simple one, and one that could have been horribly ridiculous in the hands of a less talented artist or writer, but Art Spiegelman makes it work better than probably anyone else could have. If you’ve never read this, pick up the small Complete Maus hardcover––every fan should own this, and I regret the years of my life that I didn’t.

Supreme: Story of the Year:

I admit it, I’m an Alan Moore nut just coming into bloom. Supreme, a boring character in other creator’s hands, is a testament to Alan Moore’s genius, as he manages to cover all of comics history in this one volume, while still telling an engaging story about one Superman-esque character. Not much else to say, except that my birthday is at the end of February, and I haven’t bought Moore’s other volume of Supreme…

NEWS BRIEFS:

––First off, there is a new Wolverine series, Wolverine: Origins, coming out in April. For the time being, this series will focus on Wolverine’s quest to tie up all the loose ends resulting from his post- House of M memory recovery. Joe Quesada did the cover for the first issue, and Michael Turner will do his first Marvel work on the variant. Daniel Way, who’s writing the current Wolverine series, will be the writer the this new one. The best part - Wolvie will be donning the classic yellow and brown costume for the new adventures. Stay tuned for more news, including my primer of Marvel’s slew of big events coming out in 2006–– all coming next week.

I hope the new year is finding everyone healthy, wealthy, and surrounded by loved ones and comics. Liked the column this week? Thought it was self-indulgent? Send all kiss-cards and letter- bombs to me at skio84@charter.net. See you next week!