OK, Comics time!

Here is the post you have all awaited for. OK, now that I'm awake from my delusional coma, reality time. What I read in comics. This is not a total list, but sort of my greatest hits.

First off, Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 8. This book, written in canon by Joss Whedon and others, has been a welcome homwcoming to the characters that Joss made famous. He shows that he had not forgotten how to write these characters, giving them the voices and humor they had in the show. I eagerly await the next arc, due out this week I think.

World War Hulk- The newest issue came out last week and this book has not disappointed. It has everything I want in an "event" book; ACTION!! No whining, no character exposition, just action from start to finish. I have come to enjoy Greg Pak's writing more and more. His grasp of what the Hulk is and how he is motivated has been joy a to read since he came on to the regular Hulk comic at the start of Planet Hulk. The fact that John Romita Jr. is doing the artwork is just icing on the cake for me.

Ultimate Spider-Man- I have enjoyed this book from the first issue and while it has suffered ups and downs, it remains a must read for me. Brian Michael Bendis has been the writer since it's inception (a rarity in today's comics) and his collaboration with Mark Bagley was gone very well. Both have gotten their chance to shine and Bagley, who did some Spidey work in the 90's, made the pages jump with excitement. I sometimes wondered if this is how kids felt way back in the 60's when they first got their hands on ol' Webhead. But then I think about other things, DUH.

Captain America-This book has been in the news lately due to the "assignation" of Cap. This book had been starting to falter lately due to being involved in the big "event" books of the last year or so. Ed Brubaker had been doing a great job up until then and his handling of one of the sacred lambs of comics (Bucky's alive!) was terrific. He didn't bring back the character just out of nowhere. He gave him a backstory and made the reader feel that this was plausible and worth continuing to read. Unlike that "other" rebirth (Jason Todd) this has become a storyline that makes you want to read where it will go.

Robin-Anyone who has listened to the Cosmic Comix conversations knows of my love for Robin. It was one of the best books of the "1 year later" reboot DC did. Adam Beechen has written him as a character who can be part of "Batman and.." yet still stand on his own. His civilian problems mirror Batman's to an extent, but with a teenager twist. I tend to think that if DC had given Robin a solo book way back in the Dick Grayson days, with the right writer it would have looked something like this.


Detective Comics-This, along with Robin, has been one of the best Batman books in the last year. Paul Dini, a writer from the revered (at least by me) animated series in the nineties, has handled this book exactly how the title implies. Every issue is a detective story. Batman is doing what he does best, working the clues to solve the case. Just about every issue is a one and done featuring a villain from the best rogue's gallery in comics. Of course, the Joker got 2 issues, but even then it was worth it. I can only hope that Dini will stay longer. He has made this book a "top of the pile" book for me.

Well, that's it for now. If you care to know what I think of other books, such as Countdown, Iron Man, Daredevil, Teen Titans, Superman, Fantastic Four, Invincible, PvP, Amazing Spider-Man, Punisher, and more, feel free to post a question or ask me in person. I am always happy to stop and chat about the things I love. See Ya!