This week – Venom is back, so is Batman Inc., Spidey begins to die and Oracle… finishes dying, I guess. All this and more – THIS WEEK IN COMICS.
LEADING OFF
DC gives us a triple-shot of bat-ness this week, with Batman and Robin #21, Batman Incorporated #3, and Batgirl #19. The surprise here is Batman Inc, which sees its first issue in 2011 after an impressive and popular debut at the end of last year. B&R continues its “Dark Knight, White Knight” arc, while Batgirl remains strong with some believing its current run is the best of the “bat” titles out currently. Speaking of Batgirl, Birds Of Prey #10 concludes their “Death Of Oracle” arc this week. Could Barbara Gordon really be gone? Justice League: Generation Lost #21 begins to wrap up with Max Lord seemingly in total control, while Morrigan continues to torment Diana in Wonder Woman #608.
Over at Marvel, New Avengers #10 leads the way as the team uncovers a secret from Nick Fury’s past that reveals the secret origins of the Avengers themselves, while Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #155 begins the anticipated “Death Of Spider-Man” arc. X-Men: Legacy #246 sees Rogue being hunted after discovering some new information, while Incredible Hulks #624 sees the Hulk confront his wife’s killer. However the most anticipated Marvel title this week could be Venom #1, as there is a new host for the alien symbiote, and he’s… working for the government?
Elsewhere, Image brings out the big guns with possibly its two best known titles, zombie franchise Walking Dead #82 and Image original Spawn #204. Dark Horse wraps up one series with B.P.R.D.: Hell On Earth – Gods #3 (of 3) and continues another with Conan: The Road Of Kings #3 (of 6). IDW brings us Transformers #17 and continues its “Infestation” cross-title storyline with Ghostbusters: Infestation #1 (of 2), while BOOM! Studios delivers Stan Lee’s Starborn #4.
UNDER THE RADAR
Over at DC, Zatanna #10 continues to try to gain the following of the bigger titles and seems to be on the verge of doing that, while their Vertigo imprint offers up Izombie #11 and the Fables spinoff mini Cinderella: Fables Are Forever #2 (of 6). PunisherMAX #11 wraps up its “Bullseye” arc for Marvel, with 5 Ronin #2 (of 5) and Hawkeye: Blind Spot #2 (of 4) also being offered up by the Big M. Image wraps up its rock n’ roll-themed mini with 27 #4 (of 4) and brings the long-delayed Invincible offshoot mini Guarding The Globe #4 (of 6) back into the mix. Over at Dynamite, Garth Ennis’ Jennifer Blood #2 has gotten some buzz, while Avatar Press offers up Warren Ellis’ Captain Swing #3 (of 4), over a year after the first issue debuted and eight months after the last issue.
DEBUTING THIS WEEK
DC debuts Infamous #1 (of 6), based on the PS3 video game, along with one-shot Legion Of Super Villains #1. Along with Venom #1 (mentioned earlier), Marvel debuts the mini Sigil #1 (of 4), and one-shot Captain America and the First Thirteen #1. IDW, as mentioned earlier, debuts Ghostbusters: Infestation #1 (of 2), while Dynamite premieres Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris #1, based on the character from the 1919 Edgar Rice Burroughs novel.
COLLECTIONS
DC releases two Gotham Central trades this week, wrapping up the hardcover series with Gotham Central – Book 4: Corrigan (HC) which will list for $29.99, and beginning the trade paperback release of the series with Gotham Central – Book 1: In The Line Of Duty (TP) listing at $19.99. The trade paperback version is not a reprint of the trades released during the series’ original run but instead be paperback versions of the hardcover series which collects the entire series run. DC imprint Vertigo continues its “Vertigo Resurrected” line with Vertigo Resurrected: Finals #1, collecting the 1999 four-issue mini from writer Will Pfeifer and artist Jill Thompson, listing at $7.99. Also this week, Marvel releases the second (and final) volume of the Thor: The Mighty Avenger series with Thor: The Mighty Avenger – Vol. 2 (no clever subtitle), collecting the last four issues of the series along with classic Thor tales from Journey Into Mystery #85-86, which will list for $14.99. Also of note – Image is releasing Skullkickers Vol. 1: 1000 Opas and a Dead Body (TP) collecting the first five issues of the series with some additional material and giving it a reduced $9.99 price point, similar to their handling of the Morning Glories trade paperback last month.
The complete new release list for March 9th follows:
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By the way, it pains me that despite this list, I only have four pulls this week, and two of them aren’t even in the write-up.
I would like to, one day, get to the point where I have pulls. Right now I am too busy with trades trying to catch up on some titles. Never ending.
My pull list is shrinking. Less and less, especially from Marvel and DC, makes me happy these days, so I treasure what does make me happy all the more.
Figures – I don’t show Booster love for a week and he’s involved in two of the better issues this week. I didn’t like Booster Gold #42 as much as some others did, but Justice League: Generation Lost #21 was great this week. It’s really building towards a climax well.