Tales From The Back Issue Bin!! Vol 2!!

Hey, Waffle here with the second installment of "Tales From The Back Issue Bin!!". This weeks book is The Irredeemable Ant-Man 2, from the "A:Misc" section. All future sarcasm aside, I can't wait to read this.

Well, here we go. Again. Okay, this is also a second issue, but this one has an ant tell me what happened in 1. So, guys in an ant-man suit, lost on the helicarrier. It then shoots to our hero at dinner with a woman he saved as Ant-Man. He goes into how the suit came into his possession. His best friend, Chris, is the original owner of the suit, and he has been lost in the air system of the shield helicarrier for 2 days. After finding out how to work the suit by accident, of course, he runs into the future owner and current Ant-Man. They try to catch up, and BAM, his friend is shot in the head. Eric, the current Ant-Man, put the suit on as the helicarrier plummets into the Earth. He manages to shrink down and save himself. The book concludes walking to the woman's apartment from a cab. To be honest, I love this book. Everything Kirkman touches is GOLD. Because of this issue, I am actually going to go back and read the rest, shame it got canceled. Well, Ant-Man is now part of Avengers:The Initiative. and That is good enough for me.

I'll give The Irredeemable Ant-Man 2, 3.5 out of 5 special gold stars.
I guess I'm only funny if the book sucks.
Join me next week when I tackle the an Agent X issue.
[LIGHTNING STRIKES]
TALES FROM THE BACK ISSUE BIN!

Tales From The Back Issue Bin!! Vol 1!!

Hey, Waffle here with the first installment of "Tales From The Back Issue Bin!!". Every week I'll be picking a random book from each section of our back issue bin, reading it, dissecting it, and criticizing it.

This weeks book is DARKHAWK #2, from the "$1.00 Comics" section. And believe me, it deserves to be in there.

Well, here we go. It simply starts off with the hero busting through a window screaming "I'M DARKHAWK! FREEZE!" Having never read the first issue, I have no idea who Bazin is, and why DARKHAWK(It's all caps because it was the 90's) is after him. A fight ensues until the Hobgoblin interferes, and attacks DARKHAWK. Now, where the hell did he come from? Another fight occurs, until DARKHAWK falls off the glider, and switches out of his costume. He returns home to find Spider-man swinging around his neighborhood. Another fight breaks out, this time between Hobgoblin and Spider-man. DARKHAWK changes into his costume and yells out another amazing line, "Hey Hobgoblin-- LET THAT HERO GO!" Fight, fight, fight. More fighting, and BAMF, ending. Yea, I'm sure reading the first issue would have made this all clear, but, eh, whatcha gonna do?

Over all, I'll give DARKHAWK #2, 2 out of 5 special gold stars.
Join me next week when I tackle the A:Misc section in
*cough*
TALES FROM THE BACK ISSUE BIN!

Comic Book Confidential

Hey guys! Slacks here, ready to put my two cents in on what I think you, the appreciator of all things comics should be reading. My goal is to talk about all types of books, both mainstream and indie, the superheroes and the super bizarre. However, since I'm such an art junkie, I'd also like to give the guys and gals that bring the words to life some special attention.

So lets start with one of the best books I've read this month, Richard Sala's The Chuckling Whatsit. It's a classic "ordinary guy thrown into crazy situation" type of story, involving a serial killer, secret societies, and yes, 'whatsits' (you'll see). Firstly, it is extremely well-written; I never knew where the story was going (which is rare nowadays), and while it was reminiscent of old horror movies and pulp novels, it also felt brand new at the same time. And although the plot is convoluted in the beginning, it never feels dense. You won't want to rush to the ending. Second, Sala's art fits the story perfectly. It's what made me pick up the book in the first place, and it pulls the reader into the story, creating a...."unique" atmosphere. Sala's style has been compared to Edward Gorey's, whose influence is definitely there, but it reminded me of a cross between Edvard Munch and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari -- very expressionist and unrealistic (this has probably been said about him before). The buildings and streets are warped and gothic - the people even more so, and it makes you pay careful attention to every panel. The art is attractive from the very first page and it gives the book a lot of character. My only advice for those who decide to pick it up is to give it an honest chance. The plot is confusing at first, but let the story unfold and you won't be let down.

I'd also briefly like to remind everyone that the final issue of Y: The Last Man is coming out this Wednesday. And while I'd love for the story to continue on forever, getting some closure is exciting. I've been reading Y for a few years now and not one issue has let me down, so I urge everyone to pick it up. Of course, it is available for your reading pleasure at Comic Book Jones, along with The Chuckling Whatsit, so drop by and tell them Slacksy sent ya. See you guys next week!

THIS WEEK IN COMICS!! WEEK 5

So how's everybody doing in comic book land this week? L.B. here with this weeks update to THIS WEEK IN COMICS! A lot went down this week, The jedi lost one of their order, Iron Man went ultimate for a second time, Detectives see the dead....and buy them a beer, and finally a boy throws out garbage..all the way to Russia.
So it's not new but It's new to me because I finally read it. Star Wars:Knights of the Old Republic. If your not reading this because your so set in the original trilogy, go jump off a bridge and hope Obi-Wan saves you. KOTOR is an amazing title. Set almost 3000 years before the Battle Over Yavin, we meet a young padawan by the name of Zayne. Now Zayne is the most inept jedi to ever live. So for some reason his masters set him up as the fall guy for the deaths of his entire class. Now the whole book is about how Zayne goes on the run from the jedi masters and winds up bring to truth a prophecy. Seriously get over the hating of expanded universe and start reading KOTOR!
Coming from Marvel this week we have ish #2 of Ultimate Iron Man. Yet again Orson Scott Card sets up the pins and knocks them down. We see the continuing struggle of Tony Stark to take over Stark Enterprises while his dad sits in jail. Obadiah Stane returns again to be a torn in everyone's side and to cause Tony some problems. Now go read this or Stark is gunna come get you while you sleep.
Next we have Criminal Macabre. This is the original title coming from Steve Niles(Creator of 30 Days of Night). What's different about this Criminal Macabre than the other ones is that this is all the original prose novels were you read origin of Cal McDonald. If you've never read Criminal Macabre than you've never read about how Cal is a drug riddled, booze hound who happens to live in a world were monsters are real but they hide within humanity and his best friend is a ghoul. Now having said that, COME GET THIS BOOK. ON MY RECOMMENDATION, IF YOU BUY IT ON SATURDAY WHILE I'M WORKING YOU GET THE WEDNESDAY 10% DEAL. THIS IS ONLY VALID FOR THIS SATURDAY WHILE IM WORKING. 1/26/08
And finally we have Invincible, which honestly is the best superhero comic. It shows how a hero has to deal with life and being a superhuman. The main character is Mark Grayson, whose father is a superhero from another planet. Now when Mark turns 16 he finally develops his powers by throwing out the garbage at his crappy job but the garbage flys over the dumpster and all the way to the home of a russian bum. That alone makes this book amazing. So come on down and check it out. It's for people who don't like superhero comics cause they're too childish.
So that does it for this installment. See everyone on Wednesday and be back here Next Friday.

TIGER BEAT INDIE BEAT

Hey there all you crazy cats. It's none other than the irreplaceable Professor here to offer you a healthy serving of recommendations off the beaten path. I'll be checking in here every once in a while when the mood is right to give you a suggestions on the stuff you may have missed. I mean come on, we all get sick of the superhero stuff every once in a while, right? Well, maybe not but it still helps to keep your eyes and ears open to the different variety of books the comic world has to offer you.

So with all of that said, let's jump right into it.

A couple of weeks ago we got in Black Hole by Charles Burns which is something I've wanted to read for the longest time but never got a chance to. So of course I picked it up and tore right through it. The story is unique and extremely engrossing. Without giving too much away it's about a group of teenagers who's stories intertwine. The usual teenage drama ensues but with a twist that includes a strange body altering disease, murder, drug usage and of course sex. I really don't want to say much more than that because it's a story that needs to just develop as you read it. You can trust me though, it is very good, and in stock!

Another amazing book that I'm insanely happy to finally see at the store is The Poor Bastard by Joe Matt. If you haven't read any of Joe Matt's stuff before you're in for a treat. This is by far his finest graphic novel. Think of the most selfish person you know and multiply him/her by 1,000 and you got Joe Matt. This book is probably the funniest thing I've ever read because it's so brutally honest. The Poor Bastard basically takes you through his daily routines, trials and tribulations with his girlfriend, his addiction to sex and the constant complaining of his sorry state. It's hilarious, trust me and if anything it'll make you feel better about yourself.

That went well, no? Thanks for taking this wild ride with me through the comic "underground," I appreciate the company. I'll be back in a few days to offer you up more picks to waste your disposable income on. Keep flying high!

THIS WEEK IN COMICS!! Week 4

Hi there everyone, LB here with the latest is comics. I know I'm late yet again but I actually have an annoucement about TWIC, Seeing as Wednesday's tend to be hecktic and I'm off on Thursday's, TWIC new day for being posted is FRIDAY.
So without further delay let's start the awesome!

Comic from Dark Horse this week we have the GOON! Now this actually came out last week but due to us opening midway through December we got it late. Well anyways, Eric Powell keeps the funny coming in this one. The first appearance of Frankie is him yelling at some lady about mutant cat babies. The story is as solid as ever as Powell takes the book and throws in some continuity and refers to an older story. Also THE GOON is now monthly so we don't have to wait for our jones to be satisfied as long.
Also coming from Dark Horse is Umbrella Academy. It's the fifth issue and I was finally able to read the entire series to date. Now being that I truly dislike My Chemical Romance, I was hesitant to pick this up and read it. Surprisingly though I enjoyed this book a lot. It picks up with a past villain of the Academy having robots come to life and fight the Academy. We also see .07 show up and with some Zaz might I say. Do yourself a favor and check this book out even if you dislike MCR.
Coming from Image this week we have Steve Niles' Presents Strange Cases.
Since ish 1 this book has been good. A really good mixture of Horror, Comedy and Myth. In this ish the main monster is a wendigo, so that means there was some cannibalism going down. As usual the art was perfect and dead on and Dan Wickline is doing a great job in the writing department
And lastly we have Avengers : Classic. This is simply reprints of the original issues of the avengers, but that is what makes this book amazing. One of Marvel's finest teams deserves to being reprinted and in this issue it's the first appearance of KANG THE CONQUERER in an avengers book. So go get this and brush up on ya damn history!

THIS WEEK IN COMICS!! Week 3

This Week In Comics!! Part 3

Hey there everyone, It's LB to the rescue with some reviews. Sorry I'm late with this one. A lot went down comic wise this week and it was a busy day at the store today. So lets get right to it and forget the witty banter.
So One More Day is over and A Brand New Day has begun. First I'd like to state that I love spider-man, he's an amazing character with amazing potential. First thing we see is the immediate effects of Mephisto's deal. Pete and MJ are no longer together. Which is awesome, cause I like Black Cat much better. well anyways, To a lot of fans this ish will feel like a slap in the face for reading for the past 20 years since they got married and all the story since then. I say think of it like Total Recall. What's to say that at some random point Spidey doesn't get memory flashes or he has dreams of harry as the green goblin. It really actually opened up a cool angle. So if your having your doubts regarding spidey, I say stick with him. He's never done us wrong except for that damned 3rd movie.
Next we got the new HULK series. LOEB AND MCGUINNESS thats all i really need to say. Both are awesome. McGuinness' art is perfect for hulk due to the fact that he makes his people sorta chunky which for a raging red man works. So the first issue is a murder mystery which is really cool cause hulk isnt the main character of the issue. So i'm saying if you like things that go SMASH! pick this up!
Next is EVIL DEAD! yes one of the greatest horror movies ever has come to paper. I really cant say enough about this book. It's a really faithful adaption of the movie. John Bolton's art work is absolutly perfect for the book and its just a really smooth read. Ash is a wiseass and everyone else is evil. thats all you really need to make a EVIL DEAD comic work, haha.
Lastly we have GREEN LANTERN CORPS! yes mongul continues his reign of fear and terror on his desolate planet. Kyle and Guy make a really gib decision which might leave earth a little short handed for some type of CRISIS? so the whole issue flows perfectly from the Sinestro Corps War which is a nice change for a Major DC event. So do yourself a favor and check out GLC this week.
So I gotta go to sleep cause I'm typing ths from home! Sorry if i was a little brief, if you want a more in depth review just contact me on at myspace.com/tpaone. but dont be asking me if the patriots are gunna win, I HATE SPORTS.

THIS WEEK IN COMICS!! Week 2

Hey there again everybody, It's LB again. So this week I'm actually on time with posting the new TWIC. A lot's goin down this week. The world is comin to an end, the Teen Titans get to together for the first time (didn't they do that already?!), does the x-baby get digital or does it stay with basic Cable?, and finally vikings curse a lot.... and I mean A LOT!

First we start with The End League from Dark Horse. This is the new offering from Rick (Fear Agent) Remender. It's a post apocalyptic super-hero story with plenty of twists for ya. The End League follows Astonishman, a superman wannabe with more personality, as he inadvertently kills the Earth. The rest of the book takes place after the apocalypse where Astonishman has founded a team called The End League. Throughout the book we see Astonishman beat himself up for killing the planet and for just not destroying the planet to erase his mistake. I highly recommend The End League this week.
Our next offering we have is Teen Titans : Year One from DC Comics. Being a fan of the Teen Titans, I was very excited about this one. Year One opens with Robin looking through the internet for other teenage heroes. The whole story goes through all the original titans going through daily day to day things that sidekicks do. Sit, Listen and Do as their told. Robin has it the worst though having to deal with Batman. It's a really cool take on the beginnings of the Titans and Highly recommended for those who either read Titans already or have never read Titans before.
Finally we hit the X-MEN. Coming from Marvel this week we have Uncanny X-MEN. Ed Brubaker yet again proves why he is one of the rising stars at Marvel. With the tenth installment of the already amazing Messiah Complex story, We see if Cable lives or dies, What happens to the baby and what's the deal with Madrox in the future. I can't gush enough about how amazing this story has been. If you haven't been reading it than you should go out and buy every part and start reading.
Coming from the frozen north, we have Northlanders from Vertigo. The second issue of this already amazing book is just as good as the first if not better. We see Sven in the wilderness of his homeland trying to survive and build an army to kill his traitorous Uncle Gorm. Do yourself a favor and go get this amazing title. Brian Wood is one of the best comic writers working today.
Also as a sweet treat this week is the beginnings of the NEXT WEEK SNEAK PEAK! I will be doing a feature on a book from our preview pack. This first installment spotlights THE TWELVE. The Twelve are all characters from back in the late 30's and early 40's who Marvel bought the rights to and are bringing into continuity. It's amazingly well written and the art is absolutely gorgeous. Highly, HIGHLY recommended by the entire staff here at CBJ. So next week get this book !
Signing off from the offices of Comic Book Jones, See Ya Next Week!

THIS WEEK IN COMICS!! Week 1

Hi there everybody, it's LB just so ya know. A lot happened in comics this week.
Sinestro is in prison for his crimes against the universe, a new Captain America is about to be announced, Atom Eve's origin is finally revealed!, and jail isnt what it used to be. First let's start with Green Lantern.
This week in Green Lantern we see the fall out from the Sinestro Corps War. The east coast is still being rebuilt, Coast City is filling up with people like a bathtub and the ALPHA LANTERNS SHOW UP! Continuing the best run of GL to date, Geoff Johns crafts a new calm for the DCU while just on the horizon is Final Crisis. Basically we see how the aftermath of the SCW is affecting Kyle Rayner,Guy Gardner,John Stewart and Hal Jordan. Each is effected in dramatically different ways and thats all I'm gunna say there cause to say more would ruin the awesome for ya.
Now we move onto Captain America. arguably the best run of Cap ever, Ed Brubaker almost answers the question of who is the new Captain America. Will it be Bucky, Cap's old partner from WW2, or will it be Nick Fury, whose been underground since the end of Secret War over 3 years ago, or could it possibly be Kilowog of the Green Lantern Corps?! Who knows, so go read it!
Next we have Atom Eve, the 2 issue mini from Image that focuses on Atom Eve of Invincible fame. The sad part is that Robert Kirkman isn't writing this series but even still the book is amazing. It's very true to the character from the tidbits of history we've been shown in Invincible. The book opens with Eve's birth and progress' til she's roughly 16. It's an awesome read and a good introduction to the Invincible universe. It's my number 1 pick for this week.
And last but certainly not least we have Snaked. A new offering from IDW, who is best known for publishing 30 Days of Night. Snaked is interesting right from the start due to the use of time jumps. Its a little difficult to follow at first but after a second read you see how truly awesome this title is. Snaked follows Mr. Morganstan, who from the start you can see isnt exactly all there. So anyways, Morganstan is in jail for unknown reasons,as of now, where he's being interview by the prison doctor about a fellow inmate by the name of Timmons. Now throughout the book you cut back and forth between Morganstan and Timmons. The main premise of Snaked isnt given away in the first issue which is really cool, it leaves you wanting more. I would recommend Snaked for anyone who likes truely disturbed books or if you like the occasionally weird title.
So that's it for this week in comics, I'll be back later with more recommendations and spotlights on older books(haven't finished what I wanted to spotlight -_-) So goodbye from the offices of COMIC BOOK JONES!