Before You Strap Your Comics On This Wednesday...

Strap yourself in.  It's a great week for comic books my friend.

Editorial by Mike Heronime
Descriptions by Midtown Comics

ABE SAPIEN THE DROWNING #3
Writer: Mike Mignola

Artist:Jason Shawn Alexander

Manufacturer / Publisher: Dark Horse

Description: "With his companions dead and the island of Saint Sebastien overwhelmed by the stuff of nightmares, Abe struggles to stay alive as he fights his way toward the eye of the storm� and the monster that hides within. Written by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, and featuring the haunting art of Jason Shawn Alexander (Damn Nation, The Secret, The Escapists), Abe Sapien: The Drowning is�the story of Hellboy mainstay Abe Sapien�s first solo adventure."

Editorial:  A Wednesday without Mignola just isn't a Wednesday.  Thank goodness Mike showed up to make our day.  So far, Abe's story is proving to be the equal of every other title in the Hellboy universe.  And as much as I dig on Mike's writing, I'm just as thrilled with Jason Shawn Alexander's art.  Top notch.

ACTION COMICS #863
Writer: Geoff Johns

Artist:Gary Frank - Jonathan Sibal

Manufacturer / Publisher: DC

Description: "It�s the grand finale to the 6-part �Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes!� To save the galaxy, Superman and the Legion must clear the good name of Krypton�s Last Son, but to do that, they must defeat the greatest villains of their time: the JLA! Featuring a stunning �Superman and The Legion of Super-Heroes� cover plus a �Superman Triumphant� variant cover, both by Gary Frank!"

Editorial: Superman is stuck in a future without his powers and a planet of super heroes that are determined to put him down for good.  This has been a great Superman story and a great Legion of Superheroes story and even a great Justice League story.  No way I'm going to miss the exciting conclusion.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #555
Writer: Bob Gale

Artist:Phil Jimenez

Manufacturer / Publisher: Marvel

Description: "Month Four of Brand New Day is upon us and so is the worst blizzard in the history of New York City! It�s colder than an outdoor hockey game in January out there and your favorite Wall-Crawler (aided by his Avengers buddy, Wolverine) must find his way through the cold to rescue a doctor who may know the real secret behind the deadly storm."

Editorial: I'm always suspicious when they decide to include a Wolverine appearance in a non-Wolverine title.  It's not like Spider-Man needs the lift.  Or does he?  I've certainly been a fan of the new Spider-Man but maybe it's losing ground with other readers.  Who knows?  Wolverine can't hurt in any case.

CASANOVA #13
Writer: Matt Fraction

Artist:Fabio Moon

Manufacturer / Publisher: Image

Description: "Time sure flies when you're killing people. Over on the E.M.P.I.R.E. side of things, the surviving cast members do a head-count, bury the dead, mourn a little and plan on avenging an awful lot-- all of which screams BAD NEWS for Zephyr Quinn. Who, speaking of, enters into phase 2 of Newman Xeno's sinister plan over on the X.S.M. side of things. Just what the hell are they building on X.S.M. Island? And what does that have to do with Casanova Quinn's disappearance?"

Editorial: Let me start by saying that I don't think this arc has been as "good" as the first one.  But that's kinda like sayin' that the second Matrix wasn't as "good" as the first one.  It's certainly not bad.  Far from it.  But it's different in a couple of key areas.  Simply put, the first one seemed to be a lot more fun and this arc seems to be a lot more weird.  Not that there's anything wrong with weird.  But it's pretty weird, man.  Still, I'm not about ready to miss an issue.  Frankly, for that matter, I'm not going to miss anything done by Matt Fraction -- ie. Iron Fist -- or Fabio Moon for that matter.

DARK TOWER LONG ROAD HOME #2
Writer: "Robin Furth, Peter David"

Artist:"Lee, Isanove"

Manufacturer / Publisher: Marvel

Description: "Roland�s spirit is trapped inside Maerlyn's sinister Grapefruit and is taken on a terrifying journey to the outer reaches of End-World...to the harsh domain called Thunderclap! Back in Mid-World, Roland�s ka-tet is pursued by the Hambry posse which intends to kill them all before they are able to cross the Xay River on their journey home. Revenge will soon be at hand for Eldred Jonas and the Big Coffin Hunters. "

Editorial:  None of this makes sense to me, really.  I get enough to get by.  But I feel like someone who has never seen Star Wars before trying to make sense out of the last film (number three).  I'm just a sucker for Jae Lee.  And frankly, this is the best creative team he's ever been on (although Fantastic Four 1234 was pretty damn excellent with Morrison and whoever).  Point being, great Jae Lee art.  Wild and wacky story from Stephen King. Mystical cowpokes.  I've really got nothing to complain about here.

FRANK FRAZETTAS DARK KINGDOM ONE-SHOT
Writer: Mark Kidwell

Artist:Tim Vigil

Manufacturer / Publisher: Image

Description (from Comic Shop News # 1078): Writer Mark Kidwell offered a summary of the story he's developed from Frazetta's painting. "This first look into Frazetta's Dark Kingdom is an introduction to the legend of Red Morden," Kidwell said.  The writer describes Morden as a "seafaring berserker with flame red hair and dripping battle axe -- his name alone means terror on the high seas.  The story is set near the middle of Morden's life, at a time when everything he loves, everything that keeps him human and separate from his violent personae is endangered.

Editorial: The Death Dealer series (the first of the Frazetta Comics line) was pretty good.  The art was wild and woolly.  The story was okay.  Not any great twists or surprises.  But as stories of this ilk go, it's a thousand times better than that 10,000 BC pablum.  Besides, you've seen this painting by Frazetta before.  And haven't you been dying to know what's up with that.  I know I have.

KICK ASS #2
Writer: Mark Millar

Artist:John Romita Jr.

Manufacturer / Publisher: Marvel/Icon

Description: Sickening violence...just the way you like it. The most screwed-up superhero comic of all time continues in what's sure to be the most exciting launch of 2008. What would happen if you tried to be a super hero? What would happen when an ordinary man in a latex suit comes face-to-face with the criminal underworld? Read about super heroes like you've never seen them before and feel happy that you are living here right now when this book is being published. Your grandchildren will only envy you. Comics just don't get better than this.

Editorial: This is a pretty hard comic book to watch.  Like a bad train wreck. Millar is a sadist.  And he likes to torture us, the reader, as much as his protagonists.  If this story is going where I think it's going, there's going to be very little to feel good about when it gets to the end. Why do I want to invest the time and money in this? Does this make me a masochist? God, I hope not.  I'll just keep telling myself, I'm a fan.

LOGAN #2
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan

Artist:Eduardo Risso

Manufacturer / Publisher: Marvel Knights

Description: "The groundbreaking new mini�series from Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets) and Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man) continues!� Returning to the place that made him the man he is today, Wolverine faces off against an all-new enemy in an epic clash with a last page that has to be seen to be believed."

Editorial: There's a real trend this month with my buying comics because I believe in the creative team more than the title.  Dark Tower, Kick-Ass, Dark Kingdom, Casanova, and now, Logan.  I'm not a huge Wolverine fan.  Maybe if it wasn't such a cliche, I would probably be heavily into Wolverine.  I remember in the early Claremont/Byrne X-men issues, I thought Wolverine was all balls. And I think that's the way that Joss Whedon has played him in Astonishing.  Let's see how Whedon's buddy, Brian handles the chore.  Oh, and Eduardo Risso can do no wrong.  NO WRONG.

SECRET INVASION #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist:Leinil Franics Yu

Manufacturer / Publisher: Marvel

Description: "SECRET INVASION IS HERE!! Years in the making, months in the teasing...and it all STARTS HERE!! The shape-shifting alien race known as the Skrulls has secretly infiltrated every super-powered organization on Earth with one goal...full-scale invasion! In this DOUBLE-SIZED first issue, page after page unveils reveal after reveal and shocking moment after shocking moment! Brian Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu leap off the pages of mega-hit New Avengers and deliver a story that will change the Marvel Universe forever.THE MARVEL UNIVERSE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!!"

Editorial: Here it comes.  The big event that Bendis has been building up to for the last year.  With Leinil Yu on the art, I know it's going to be great.  And as much as I feel like Bendis is just overexposed, I always get wrapped up in his stories.  I'm ready for this one.

TWELVE #4
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski

Artist:Chris Weston

Manufacturer / Publisher: Marvel

Description: "As the savage murders continue, and members of the Twelve come under a cloud of suspicion, tensions flare, and hero faces off against hero! Plus, the unbelievable origin of underground secret agent Rockman!"

Editorial: J. Michael Straczynski is making Twelve his Watchman.  At first blush, that seems kinda cheap.  But let's face it.  When you read Watchman, you think to yourself that more comics need to be written like that.  And the truth is that most writers don't have the chops.  JMS does.  I can't wait to pick up this issue.