Secret Wars on Infinite Earths: The Comic Book Fight Club

IN STORES: JULY 02, 2008
You can probably find complete shipping list updates on most major comics sites. Consider this an opportunity to either do all your info-shopping in the one place, or get a speculative perspective on what might be worth checking out. These are untested reads. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths can offer no guarantee or endorsement of quality. These are simply titles that may be of potential interest. Some items may ship late.

The Infinite Wars now has a gift shop!
Now you'll find Amazon purchase links to hardcovers, trade paperbacks, and other collections, not only on regular entries -- but also new releases at the bottom of the Shipping List, and now a whole catalogue of potential purchases via the Infinite Wars: Amazonian Gift Shop. [Men are also welcome!] By shopping with Amazon via our purchase links, you not only find yourself a great deal, but also sponsor future entries on the Infinite Wars.

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Thin and Crispy...
MAR082090 ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #7 $2.99
APR080180 BATMAN #678 RIP $2.99
MAY083745 BOYS #20 (MR) $2.99
DEC072082 BRIT #7 $2.99
MAY082328 CABLE #5 DWS $2.99
MAR082093 DYNAMO 5 #14 $3.50
MAY080021 HELLBOY THE CROOKED MAN #1 (OF $2.99
MAY080268 HOUSE OF MYSTERY #3 (MR) $2.99
APR080218 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #43 $2.99
MAY080201 MANHUNTER #32 $2.99
MAY082284 MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #41 $2.99
MAY080177 NIGHTWING #146 $2.99
NOV072055 SAVAGE DRAGON #136 $2.99
MAY084039 TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #47 $3.25
MAY080140 TRINITY #5 $2.99
MAY080272 VINYL UNDERGROUND #10 (MR) $2.99

The Deep Dish...
- MAY082264 AVENGERS INVADERS #3 (OF 12) $2.99
I've got to be entirely honest -- the prospect of a character fighting themselves has me chasing my own tail. I mean, what the hell does that mean for our Super Stock rankings?! As far as I'm concerned, there are still a lot of question marks hovering over Alex Ross and Jim Kreuger's fan-fic tour through the Marvel Universe! Still, if you're going to endear a project like this to me, throwing up a beautifully painted cover showing off Namor battling himself (in the WWII and Wet-suited varieties) isn't a bad way to start! Although, I'm not terribly sure I like the differentiation used between the two. Translating the classic stylings of Bill Everett into Alex Ross' literal photo-realism is effective, but quite jarring.

After WWII Cap's appearance in the now Bucky-occupied title, it's well worth keeping an eye on the series, but I'm still not convinced.

- MAY080224 BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #1 $2.25
I know for a fact that I'm not the only person who's been clamoring for a retro-inspired, fancy free monthly for the characters aquired from Fawcett Comics! After the successful resurrection of JSA under Geoff Johns, and the continuous interest in the golden age from the nineties to now, it feels like Captain Marvel is the one heavy-hitter DC haven't tried to make work. That, of course, overlooks the graduation of the character to wizard-status in Trials of Shazam, but I suppose that's easy to forget for it's lack of charm.

After the stumbling of Dave Sims' recent mini-series; it's nice to see DC pledging to another kid-friendly, wholesome attempt at a Shazam series. Throwing in a touch of 2007's MVP, Black Adam, is just as promising, but first impressions leave me wonder if this might be a little too kid-friendly to fully capitalize on the idea.

- MAY080193 INFINITY INC #11 $2.99
Infinity Inc meet Final Crisis' Dark Side Club, and I continue to desperately search for reasons to want to like the only comic currently featuring Steel in a starring role.
As sound an idea as following up on the threads of Lex Luthor's Everyman Project from 52 is, I just can't seem to find a reason to actually want to read this comic. Which is awful because I really do like Steel, as impossible as that might be to believe! Great character; doomed comic. I'm shocked to see it approach a full year!

- MAY080165 JOKERS ASYLUM THE JOKER #1 $2.99
Adam Kubert's cover is thoroughly underwhelming for the first in a series of projects toting the involvement of big-name creators, and the criminally insane rogues of Gotham City. One really wonders what happened to the Kubert talent pool! Wow, was that a little harsh? Hahahahahaha!
A none-too-subtle movie cash-in, you're quite within your right to check this one out, but I know absolutely nothing about it, and only have questions about following a Joker issue up with The Penguin. I am full of piss and vinegar.

- MAY080196 JONAH HEX #33 $2.99
Not usually a big western guy, but guest-artist Darwyn Cooke shows Kubert how it's done with a gorgeous cover, and interior artwork to follow! The perfect opportunity for MKvsDC fans to acquaint themselves with a very strong example of Palmiotti and Gray's writing, but buyer beware: the uninitiated may be in store for a culture shock as they come face-to-face with concepts of quality unique to comics.

- MAY082296 PATSY WALKER HELLCAT #1 (OF 5) $2.99
From the pages of Marvel Comics Presents comes Patsy Walker: Agent of the Initiative! I wish I could elaborate on things more than that, but as I'm terminally poor, I've missed out on every exciting issue of the Marvel anthology series. About all I can do is commend the realised graduation of a character that was tried in the book, giving Marvel the benefit of the doubt on that count.
Hellcat seems to be one of those characters that struggles to stick. It'll be interesting to see how the character stitches back into the Marvel Universe, using the Initiative to sneak in, ala; Last Defenders.

- MAY082295 PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #21 $2.99
This has to be the book I find myself see-sawing with the most [also see; teeter-tottering].
Matt Fraction's War Journal hits another high as Frank Castle goes head-to-head with one of the few men capable of surviving long enough to count as an arch-nemesis: Jigsaw!
Jigsaw was the quiet benefactor of the recent Tigra controversy, and also played a solid part in Bendis' final days on Daredevil. Fans might like to check in with these, or the latest PWJ arc, to get in on the action before Dominic West takes up the role of the villain in Punisher: War Zone, hitting cinemas December of this year!

- MAY082307 SECRET INVASION FRONT LINE #1 (OF 5) SI $2.99
Handsome scholar, Brian Reed, continues his main event push as he usurps the Front Line throne from Paul Jenkins! The Reedster comes in with the difficult task of following up the mixed reactions of other Front Line titles, while also playing second fiddle to the main story. His tandem efforts with Bendis have produced reasonable results, and his solo flight on Ms. Marvel continues to earn fans, making this one worth looking at if you're into the Skrull thing!


Know Your Trade...
MAY082377 CAPTAIN AMERICA TP OPERATION REBIRTH NEW PTG $29.99
MAR080183 COUNTDOWN PRESENTS SEARCH FOR RAY PALMER TP $17.99
MAY082380 ESSENTIAL DEFENDERS TP VOL 4 $16.99
APR082355 FANTASTIC FOUR PREM HC LOST ADVENTURES STAN LEE $24.99
MAY082376 INVADERS CLASSIC TP VOL 2 $29.99
APR084166 TEZUKA DORORO GN VOL 02 $13.95
MAR080031 USAGI YOJIMBO TP VOL 22 TOMOES STORY $15.95