Coming This Week: "And The Piano Is This Melancholy Soundtrack To Her Smile"

The highlight of this week in comics is DV8: Gods & Monsters #5 (DC/Wildstorm) from Brian Wood and Rebekah Isaacs. The juxtaposition of superpowered beings on a primitive society is proving to be a diversionary deconstruction of the superhero paradigm, which seems to be Brian Wood treading some new ground, even for this seasoned writer. Also out from the house that Jim Lee built is Ex Machina #50 (DC/Wildstorm), finally capping the brilliant series from Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris. I opted out somewhere around issue 35 or so in favor of purchasing the Deluxe Edition Hardcovers, but I’m not sure if I can wait for that fourth one to be published. I might just plunk down my money here so I can join in the online brouhaha. I bought two really good books at SDCC this year, Fluorescent Black (Heavy Metal) by M.F. Wilson and Nathan Fox and Sweets #1 (Image) by Kody Chamberlain. I’m excited to see Sweets #2 (Image) due this week so that I can pick up where I left off with this gritty crime story and rich New Orleans cast. It seems like this arc will never end, and I’m ready to switch to trade-waiting this chronically late series as soon as the arc does end, so maybe Lone Ranger #23 (Dynamite Entertainment) will push us closer to that phenomenon. Yes, I’m also still buying this series and frequently find myself wondering why. It should be as good as Matt Fraction’s work on Invincible Iron Man, but… maybe it needs a smaller cast… oh, and a more cohesive story… oh, and a (better) regular artist. Maybe it needs some help, yeah, it’s Uncanny X-Men #527 (Marvel).