The Weekly Comics Grind

[Space Pirate Roberts]

Avengers: Initiative - they so need to give that Cloud 9 chick some kung fu training and an extendy staff.

[Cowdisease]

I liked the World War Hulk Prologue book, in part because the Mini-Marvels tale was pretty funny.

52 - Picked up #51 and #52. Awesome reveal regarding Mr. Mind and Skeets. The time traveling in #52 was great. All in all, great ending.

Avengers Initiative #2 - Not a bad mini-series. I'm curious to see how the young heroes handle the arrival of the Hulk.

All-Star Superman #7 - Grant Morrison is god. His take on Bizarro was fantastic, but the last page was one of the coolest endings I ever saw. Call me, Zibarro.

Captain Marvel - After I'm done with Jeff Smith's run (which has been okay), I will no longer buy any $6 books. This hobby is getting expensive again.

Justice #11 - Lots of stuff happening. Looking forward to see how it ends.

JSA #5 - Part 2 of the JLA/JSA crossover. So far so good.

[Korly]

A ten page preview of Countdown is up on the Myspace comic page.

[Yoshi]

I bought comics for the first time since the Dark Knight Falls storyline of Batman, which I want to say was about 15 years ago. Buffy Season 8 brought me back... well, that and the wife wanting to read them.

[James]

Batman and Robin #5 finally came out this week. I think I've done a complete 180 on this series, switching from "What the hell is this shit!?" to having a blast at its utter crap-ness. It's so mind-bogglingly bad that I'm having a blast. To read Batman & Robin is to see Frank Miller completely lose it, a little more every issue.

Also this week- Damn, but Fables keeps on delivering. Army @ Love is fun, but will probably be better once complete, and I'm sure Avengers is decent but haven't had time to read it yet.

James

[YellerDog]

ULTIMATES 13. YES.

[Space Pirate Roberts]

I grabbed AS Batman to see what all the fuss was about... I have to say, I enjoyed it immensely. Accept it up-front as Batman by way of Grindhouse and it's awesome. I can see why people who were expecting it to follow the stated goals of the All-Star line were upset, though.

[Space Pirate Roberts]

Dan Slott was already my favorite writer. Now, he's my motherfucking hero.

Shulkie: You sold me on your side of the Civil War, said we had to stand for law and order! So when did it happen, Tony? When did your precious inner circle appoint yourselves as my cousin's JUDGE AND JURY?!

Talk to me, damn it! What gave you the right to pass sentence on Bruce?! To banish him to the stars?!!

Iron Man: I'm a futurist, Jen! I could see what was coming. Chaos. Death. Destruction. And I FIXED it. Wheter you know it or not, I saved the world!

Shulkie: Oh my God. You don't see it, do you?

A tin-plated tyrant...

...who thinks he knows more...

...than everyone else.

Remaking the world in his own image. You know who that is?

That's NOT Iron Man, Tony!

That's DOCTOR DOOM!

[Later, after Stark forcibly uses Shulkie as the final test subject for Project Achilles, designed to permanently suppress Gamma-based powers...]

Stark: I'm sorry, Jen. I never intended to make you our definitive subject... but you went against me. Do you understand? You left me no choice. You had to be neutralized.

Jen: "Neutralized"? You think I'm neutralized?

Stark: Well, yes. I've taken you out of the equation.

Jen: Ha. For a FUTURIST, you just made a big mistake.

Stark: I don't follow.

Jen: You took She-Hulk out of the equation, Stark. And do you know what that's left you with? Jennifer Walters: one of the best lawyers on the east coast! Do you have any idea of the laws you've broken here? Of the rights you've trampled on?!

Stark: Get her out of here. Get her off my ship!

Jen: You just *&#%ed with the wrong lady. She-Hulk would've just knocked you around, Stark. But me? I'm gonna destroy you!

Oh God, I can't wait to see this play out. Too bad Slott won't be writing it, unless it happens in the pages of Avengers: The Initiative.

Another great jab at Marvel's #1 Super-Villain: when he arrives on the SHIELD Heli-Carrier, the staff has misinterpreted a message from the Hulkbuster team to mean they've found and apprehended Hulk. So, what have they put on the main deck to great their fearless leader, but a giant banner reading... you guessed it... "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED."

[Brand]

Countdown 49 ending gave me the giggles of Joy.
NewUniversal #6 was good but I had read it last week in the previews bin. Apparently it's going on hiatus for a bit while Marvel reorganizes things which sucks.
Wonder Woman #9, was pretty good after the mess this whole series has been it's good to it coming back together.

Doctor Strange Oath trade - I read this in comic form it's pretty good and by Brain K Vaughn. Worth reading for me to get to see the Night Shift Nurse put to some good use.

As stated above She-Hulk was good, though I wish this issue has come out before WWHulk Prelude.

In the previews bin for next week was NEW AVENGERS ILLUMINATI #3, which was very enjoyable. Over all next week looks more exciting.

[bloodyarts]

Dan Slott was already my favorite writer. Now, he's my motherfucking hero.Oh God, I can't wait to see this play out. Too bad Slott won't be writing it, unless it happens in the pages of Avengers: The Initiative.

Yeah, this is the read of the month for me. Slott's She-Hulk has been top-notch since he started on the book. Iron Man haters are going to love this issue.

Although, I thought it was unfair to throw in the "tyrant" remark. I don't agree with his methods, and his behavior has been somewhat questionable since Extremis, but that word doesn't describe him at all, currently or previously. And without it, her entire spiel falls apart.

Even though the issue has some serious and deadly undertones, Slott manages to make it humorous and enjoyable. 'Twill be a real shame when he leaves the book in 3 issues. At least he plans on wrapping up most of his dangling plots.

Anybody get a gander at the new FF? Dwayne McDuffie has gotten heaps of praise since his work on Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated series, but his work on Beyond and now FF leave me scratching my head. I mean, I'm not expecting Stan and Jack here, but this arc was very weak, especially considering all the big guns featured in it. Thing and Torch may as well sit on the bleachers with their "BP Rules!" foam hands and popcorn, and let Storm and Panther come up with all the plans and do all the fighting. I'm exaggerating, Thing and Torch added to the fight, but the story is so Panther-centric, even Galactus is reduced to a bit player (and jobber, again).

Guess it's to be expected. Marvel has to showcase the new members, and that's fine, but whipping Surfer, Stardust and GALACTUS on their first outing is WAY out of hand. I had some doubts having Storm and Panther on the Fantastic Four, and Dwayne seems to be methodically seeing those doubts bloom to fruition. This is turning out worse than the Ghost Rider, Hulk, Wolverine and Spidey FF, but at least that was a one-time deal. With Arthur Adams as the cherry on top. Pelletier is no Arthur Adams.

One more arc, Dwayne...

Re: Countdown 49... WTF?! Is Jimmy Olsen on Gingold, now? Or did I miss something? I'll admit I briefly flipped through the book. Are the Monitors the equivalent of Marvel's Watchers? Except they have no compunctions about interfering, violently if necessary? Poor Mary Marvel. We hardly knew ye. But we will, won't we? I hope he doesn't do too much damage. And now that everyone's back from their year long vacations, just what are they going to do about him?