New Comic Books For August 20, 2008

DC COMICS

BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #10
BRAVE AND THE BOLD #16
FINAL CRISIS LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #1
FLASH #243
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #24
SUPERMAN BATMAN #51
TANGENT SUPERMANS REIGN #6
TRINITY #12

MARVEL COMICS

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #568
CAPTAIN AMERICA #41
GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #4
IRON MAN DIRECTOR OF SHIELD #32
MARVEL 1985 #4
MOON KNIGHT #21
SQUADRON SUPREME 2 #2
UNCANNY X-MEN #501
X-FACTOR #34
X-FACTOR SPECIAL LAYLA MILLER

I have been completely addicted to the Olympics this past week. I have stayed up late every single night and then drug my half-dead carcass to work each morning. I just cannot get enough of the Olympics. Michael Phelps was just insane. It was incredible watching history in the making as Phelps became the greatest Olympian ever.

At this point, the Top 15 countries in the medal count are as follows:

United States of America: 79 medals
China: 78 medals
Russia: 45 medals
Australia: 36 medals
Great Britain: 35 medals
France: 30 medals
Germany: 28 medals
South Korea: 24 medals
Japan: 23 medals
Italy: 20 medals
Ukraine: 18 medals
Netherlands: 13 medals
Canada: 13 medals
Cuba: 12 medals
Belarus: 12 medals

The United States of America is in first place in the medal count. But, China is close behind. It really is only a two horse race as both the USA and China have a considerable lead over the rest of the countries.

There are still plenty more exciting events to come. And no, basketball is not one of them. Olympic basketball is possibly the most boring event in the Olympics. For me, the one athlete that I am most excited to watch is the Jamaican sprinter Usain “Lightning” Bolt. This guy is just incredible. And I love his style.

All right, this is an insanely large shipment of comic books headed to the Bunker this week. I hope that Tenzil and Thom did not plan to do much this weekend other than read comic books. We have a total of 18 titles headed to the Bunker. This week is slightly heavier with Marvel titles.

Which DC comic book am I most looking forward to reading? I am looking forward to Tangent: Superman’s Reign #6. This title has been an enjoyable little ride. I know that this title has not gotten much love or support, but I have found it to be a solid read. This is the kind of fun story that I have been expecting since the Multiverse returned.

However, I am going to go with Justice League of America #24 as the DC comic book that I am most looking forward to reading. Huh, how about that? Considering how bad Justice League of America got I am surprised that McDuffie has been able to turn around this ship and get me excited about the JLA once again. But, the fact is that McDuffie has finally gotten this title on track and delivered a quality issue last month.

Which DC comic book am I least looking forward to reading? I am not that thrilled to read Batman and the Outsiders #10. This title has been a disappointment from the start and the upheaval at the writer position so early into this title is only further dampening my interest. Batman and the Outsiders is close to falling victim to The Revolution’s dreaded axe.

However, I had to go with Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #1 as the DC comic book that I am least looking forward to reading. I know, I know. Everyone is screaming “How can you not be totally pumped up for this title? You are a huge Legion fan. All Legion fans are peeing their pants over the excitement of Johns writing this Legion story.” Yeah, well, what can I say? I usually go against the tide of popular sentiment.

I am curious to see just how far DC willing to pick at the festering wound that is the Legion’s continuity. DC has obsessively picked at the Legion’s continuity to the point where this title has become almost completely impossible to follow unless you have been reading the title for twenty years.

Given how DC has continually botched and brutalized the Legion over the past couple of decades I have absolutely no faith at all in DC to do anything positive with Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds. Still, being a die-hard Legion fan, I am excited about seeing the other versions of the Legion that were wiped out by the various re-boots. And it will be great seeing these characters for at least an issue or two before Johns butchers them to death like he did with members of the Teen Titans in Final Crisis.

Which Marvel comic book am I most looking forward to reading? This is a tough decision since we have several strong reads headed our way from the House of Ideas. Guardians of the Galaxy #4 should be another wild ride. DnA have been tacos in the bank on this title. I have enjoyed Guardians of the Galaxy and it has quickly risen up to the top as one of my favorite Marvel titles. This title is pure fun as DnA have managed to combine incredible action with a quick paced story that is chock full of numerous intriguing plotlines.

I am excited to read X-Factor Special Layla Miller. Layla is one of my favorite members of X-Factor and David has had her removed from the playing field for quite some time. It should be interesting to see what Layla has been up to since we last saw her during Messiah Complex.

However, the Marvel comic book that I am most looking forward to reading is Captain America #41. Brubaker has been phenomenal on this title as he always delivers a dependable read. This is the penultimate issue in Brubaker’s current story arc and I fully expect Brubaker to crank up the intensity with Captain America #41.

Which Marvel comic book am I least looking forward to reading? I am sure that Amazing Spider-Man #568 is going to be another disappointing read. I am struggling with my decision to drop this title. I have been reading Amazing Spider-Man since I was six years old. I know it is easy to say that I should just go ahead and drop this title; but my long-time connection with this title has nurtured such strong nostalgic feelings inside of me. And those nostalgic feelings make it extremely difficult for me to let the dreaded axe fall on Amazing Spider-Man.

Even though Amazing Spider-Man is almost a guaranteed pedestrian read every time it comes out, I am going to have to go with Uncanny X-Men #501 as the Marvel comic book that I am least looking forward to reading. Marvel’s version of Judd Winick did nothing for me on his debut issue on this title. The combination of Brubaker and Fraction that worked so magically on Iron Fist gagged up a truly dismal issue with last month’s Uncanny X-Men.

It is still way too early for me to say that the Brubaker/Fraction team is going to fail on Uncanny X-Men. But, they certainly have a tough road ahead to get me to believe in them. And they certainly have to improve greatly over their debut issue in order to win my support.

As always, I’ll try my best to start posting reviews as soon as possible. I hope everyone enjoys their new comic books for this week.

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