Coming This Week: “Don’t Rush To Judgment On Something Like That Until All The Facts Are In”

Every week I review Diamond's “New Releases” to determine what I’ll definitely be buying sight unseen, what I’m interested in enough to do a quick scan of at the LCS to see if it can win me over, and note any other items that catch my eye. Here’s a look…

Buying:

Batman & Robin #6 (DC): Is it mean of me to say that I’m kind of just waiting out the last issue of this arc so that I can get to new artist Cameron Stewart on the next arc? I suppose that’s one thing the series has going for it, if you’re not fond of a particular artist, you only have a three issue wait until the next. This should wrap up The Red Hood business, which felt like it never really got going and had a chance to breathe or be explored, so we'll see how it wraps.

DMZ #47 (DC/Vertigo): Continuing the Hearts & Minds arc, should be fun, Wood has really been increasing the tension in this book. It’s taken some major turns, with no end in sight.

S.W.O.R.D. #1 (Marvel): This might actually be the book that I’m mosty excited, nay – hopeful, about this week. I like Abigail Brand as a new character. I like Kieron Gillen as a unique writer. I’ve wanted more of Steven Sanders’ art since Five Fists of Science with Matt Fraction. The Cassaday covers are purdy. And… there’s going to be a back-up feature where a certain missing heroine might be found. Hint: she was last seen in a mile long bullet after having saved the planet. Please, oh please, someone save Kitty Pryde!

Echo #16 (Abstract Studio): One of the best comics being published today; this doesn’t disappoint.

Considering:

Batman/Doc Savage Special #1 (DC): Brian Azzarello is a solid writer, and the pulp overtones of this series seem right up his alley. Phil Noto is not exactly known for the… uhh, promptness of his art [that mini-series The Infinite Horizon (six issues was it?) showed promise as it retold Homer's The Odyssey, but it began in December of 07 and still hasn’t wrapped to my knowledge], so it was probably a good idea to get this in the can and make it a special vs. an ongoing series. More than anything, I’m interested to see how this “new universe” is set up as an alternate universe period piece, Batman no longer possessing an aversion to the use of firearms.

Supergod #1 (Avatar Press): This purports to complete the Warren Ellis trifecta of Black Summer and No Hero, examining different “real world” takes on the superhero paradigm. It’s disappointing that Juan Jose Ryp will not be on art detail to complete the thematic link, nor will this be a seven issue series like the others, but a mere five. Black Summer was really about average joes who didn’t really want to be superheroes and tried to act very humanely and compassionately. No Hero was then about average joes who desperately wanted to be superheroes, thus focusing on how inhumanely they could act. With Supergod it appears we have alien/supherhumans who aspire to be more than heroes and attempt some sort of godlike pursuits. Garrie Gastonny’s art looks decent enough and this has a good chance of making it home. I’ll at least try the first issue before I make a determination on trade-waiting the rest.

Luna Park HC (Vertigo): Danijel Zezelj!

Noting:

Phonogram 2: The Singles Club #5 (Image): This series has slipped into late territory, but it’s usually worth a look nonetheless.