QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: Men are from Mars!
MARTIAN MANHUNTER versus KIDNAPPERS
Martian Manhunter (DC)
Where: Secret Origins #35 When: Holiday 1988
Why: Mark Verheiden How: Ken Steacy

Quick Fix...
"Make no mistake -- It took a seventy-thousand dollar sliver of meteor to stop the one in Metropolis. With you, all I need is a penny for a book of matches."

When it comes to the Martian Manhunter, sometimes it can be very difficult to nail down exactly what it is that makes him one of the most intriguing characters in the DC stable.
In so many ways this character resembles the far more iconic stranger from space, Superman, and yet, far beneath the multi-media powerhouse of the Man of Steel lies an obscure but dedicated fanbase to a character often described as the soul of the Justice League. It's fitting then, whilst discussing one of the varying origins of that team [Secret Origins #32], that we turn our ponderous eye to two of the Martian Manhunter's retroactively defining moments.

When it comes to the definitive Martian Manhunter story the modern era provides a retro example. Many a fanboy will inevitably turn to Darwyn Cooke's, DC: The New Frontier, from which the opening quote is taken. This powerhouse story has earned critical acclaim for it's depiction of some of DC's major Silver Age icons, like; Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman, and of course, J'onn J'onnz.

There is, however, a little known gem in the DC catalogue that could almost lead to speculation of influence on Cooke's handling of the character.
Sharing both theme and three-panel presentation in common; each story distills the character to his earliest struggles as Det. John Jones, who secretly strives to identify and co-exist with humans after his abrupt transmission to Earth.

Typical of Secret Origins stories immediate to post-Crisis editorializing; a thread pertaining to the contemporary era provides the basis for connecting a newly confirmed backstory. In the case of "Martian Manhunter", the returning memories of an aged and tired police officer reveal to him his forgotten past with John Jones; the disguised martian whose secret and backstory was revealed to him telepathically one fateful night, during the pursuit of kidnappers.

Vital to this story is it's graphic design.
Like Cooke; artist Ken Steacy channels the retro energy and bold lines of the nineteen fifties, suitable for the era in which Martian Manhunter is derived.
In the interest of servicing this entry, my selection of panel scans are not only under represented by the quality of my scanner, but also by their selection.

At conclusion, if this review can do nothing else, it will be to compell every Martian Manhunter fan to seize any [legal] opportunity they have to come into possession of this story. Having rattled around in my brain for twenty years, in reflecting, I not only see how much I value this short as a piece of my youth, but also as an unconscious influence on my work on The Kirby Martin Inquest.

While a feature of "KMI" has been a sliding and multi-layered narrative; this tale takes my own experimentation with narration in a more specific and extensive direction, exclusively telling the tale through captions, and no dialogue.
In an interesting way, this manages to make the tale all the more vivid, capturing the mystique and abrasive loft of John Jones' stone-jawed demeanor, while also delivering a heart warming, silent reunion between old friends. No doubt Steacy's design plays a major part in appropriately communicating the script, which Ken himself may have contributed to.

This version of the origin locates the bewildered Martian Manhunter, (and the scientist who brought him to Earth, Dr. Erdel), in Denver, Colorado. Personally I prefer to think of MM in terms of his identity as a citizen of Gotham, which actually compliments this story quite well, despite the details.
As discussed previously [Solo #1, JLA #118], I tend to think Gotham colours it's inhabitants with the musty grey of it's decay and corruption, making for an appropriate contribution to what I think of as a well written Martian Manhunter. Bringing it full circle, that description of Gotham's inhabitants maybe even comes a little from this story I hold so dear.

Visually Steacy's colours typify Gotham with it's muted browns, greys and complimentary blacks, but as the fantasy of the metamorphosis of John Jones works it's way into the action, so too does the colour change. Reds pop and purples permeate as the green of the Martian explodes from within the blue of his trademark cape. It's a subtle, but powerful tool for differentiating between the nature of the sci-fi superhero and detective worlds.

Hot on the trail of the kidnappers who have taken the town Mayor's daughter hostage; the Martian Manhunter comes face to face with his weakness: fire!
Suddenly this bulletproof dynamo withers like a plant without water, suffering under the heat that emenates from the kidnappers' makeshift hideout in an abandoned, but fully functional, steel foundry.

Having staggered back to Police HQ, J'onn is discovered by the unnamed officer whose tale this is to tell. With a telepathic download of information, the cop returns to the foundry where he attempts to tackle the kidnappers alone. He manages to powerdown the equipment just as he's shot by the crooks.

It looks like certain doom for our hero, but with the machines shut down, a green guardian angel is able to unleash a vengeful tide of violence on these men who would endanger a small child. The Manhunter bursts through a solid brick wall, easily repelling speeding bullets as they collide with his martian muscle.

Though angered, fury fails to impair the Manhunter's stern sense of justice.
The gunmen suffer the bone rattling locamotion of being thrown against a wall at car crash speeds, but J'onn J'onnz has no intention of killing them. Particularly not when a frightened child and a wounded friend require aid. Both are returned to safety, but for the officer, commendations are his consolation, as the event is stripped from his memory by the secretive martian.

I think it's interesting to think of Martian Manhunter as the 'soul' of the Justice League, because it's here, in the realm of far more human tales, that I think the character truly shines. As favourably as the lighthearted trappings of Giffen and DeMatteis' Justice League International are regarded; I can't help but look to a story like this, with the pulp trappings of an alien detective as the definitive instance of the Martian Manhunter character.

Recent attempts to revamp the character appear lacklustre and contradictory to everything I would like to see. In Batman and the Outsiders, MM is shunted out of the book amidst creative turmoil, the canonical explanation being attributed to moral differences between MM and Batman - something I like to interpret as highly unlikely, with the two characters sharing a strong, unspoken bond conspired by their Gotham design - something ties them together on common ground other Leaguers could never fully appreciate.

More specifically, I find myself entirely frustrated by the further demystification of the Martian Manhunter mini-series which indulges in efforts to waterdown the notion of J'onn J'onnz as the last survivor a dead race. This is something I loathe of the Superman franchise, but find inexcusable for a far less popular brand.
Additionally, I find something untrue about the Manhunter's sudden burst of overt martian pride, and his shift to the cone-head said to be his natural form.

Ultimately I think it's his status as a self-imposed outsider, and the duality of his identity as someone no longer martian, but not quite human, that makes the character so compelling. The juxtaposition of Martian Manhunter against his superhuman equivalents is very interesting, but it's his interactions with humanity and psychological motivations and metaphors that make him one of the most intriguing aliens in the DC Universe. Every time I try to think of a way to describe J'onn J'onnz personality, I find only contradictions, and as such, should maybe leave you to draw your own conclusions.

I want to say he's innocent, yet slightly corrupted; violent, yet utterly passive.
I want to say he's a loner, yet values friendship. Is sad and stoic, yet joyous and friendly. I suppose for someone who can become anyone, maybe it's valid that he's all these things. Or maybe, to be even more accurate, these varying states of persona and emotion are indicative of one single transformation: the shift of J'onn J'onnz, Manhunter from Mars, to J'onn J'onnz - champion of Earth.

The Fight: 3.5 The Story: 7
Winner: Martian Manhunter

"Martian Manhunter" is collected in the long out-of-print 1990 "Secret Origins", which also happens to include Secret Origins #32, which contains the Justice League origin we're currently following, as well as other origins classics like the Denny O'Neil story which provided inspiration for Batman Begins, "The Man Who Falls". Otherwise, I don't know how you'll track this classic tale, but it's well worth it!

---

BATMAN/MARTIAN MANHUNTER versus
THE HILL STREET CULT
Book Two: Strange Adventures
Chapter Four: Gods and Monsters (DC)
Where: DC: The New Frontier #2 When: April 2004 Why: Darwyn Cooke How: Darwyn Cooke

Quick Fix...
Now, back to that little matter of the match sticks and meteor... I have to admit, it probably seems a little odd to lead with that kind of quote, before talking about Martian Manhunter in terms of a close relationship with Batman.

The two characters, who debuted 198 issues and 16 years apart, began their print-lives in the pages of Detective Comics, and have since gone on to be regularly associated in various incarnations of DC's compilation franchise, the Justice League.

Darwyn Cooke brings to the two characters together in the series that focuses on the transition from the Golden Age of the thirties and forties, into the Silver Age of the subsequent generation(s). As such, events transpire in those given decades, and allow characters to be repositioned in familiar classic settings, with the benefit of contemporary characterization.

Even though DC: The New Frontier has since been incorporated into DC's model for the new multi-verse [aka; the mega-verse] as designate Earth-21; I actually like to think of the interactions between the Bat and Martian in this, and the following issue, as reasonably plausible for their earliest encounter.

In thinking about the now abandoned Earth-38 posts; which were built on the premise of an alternate DC Earth where real-world chronology more specifically influences the emergence of characters in the canon; I grew to really appreciate Batman as one of the earliest proponents of the "super human" movement, and also as one of the most paranoid.

To contradict myself, I think that paranoia and distance should be inherent to Batman, but at the same time, have different meanings in different situations.
For Batman and Martian Manhunter, it seems perfectly reasonable to me that Bruce Wayne would approach this powerful, alien clandestine influence in his city with concern and suspicion, but ultimately be quite capable of coming to turn that blind hatred to a stern friendship as he becomes better informed.

That said; we've seen, somewhat ironically, what kind of lengths Batman could potentially go to in the pages of Marvel's, Civil War.
Tony Stark's decision has a very different face on it, but ultimately boils down to a similar means-to-an-end similar to Batman's actions surrounding Project OMAC and the Brother Eye satellite, and various other stories that have specifically seen Batman as, for lack of a better term, an obsessively organized anarchist.

I think it's very interesting to transplant Batman's relationship with the other heroes at it's most strained, and reimagine that in a world where he's already monitoring goings-on as these alien powers emerge in a time of post-war suspicion and paranoia. To reiterate, however, it's also just as interesting to see how the lifestyle of Gotham and the common ground of two isolated men can bridge that divide, which I think we see in New Frontier.

The characters meet, as you might expect, on the job.
J'onn, as Det. John Jones, accompanies his partner, Slam Bradley, on a call to, as it would happen, the kidnapping of a wealthy financier's small child.
Unlike the previous entry in this quick fix, J'onn finds himself working with far less willing colleagues, sickened by the depth of corruption within the Gotham Police Department. Slam makes a note that the exceptionally corny comic-book-speaking Jones is probably one of the few straight cops on the beat, except for maybe "that new guy, Gordon."

While his fellow officers may be of no help to the child's life, luck would have it that there is another secret force for good, operating in much the same clandestine fashion as the shadey Martian. When he and Slam storm the Hill Street Catholic Church, they find a one man army battling an army of gaudy robed cult members. Against dozens of them, the Batman holds his own!

Slam jumps into the fray, throwing fist and lead with wanton regard.
There's a kid's life on the line, and just as he's about to start formulating an exit plan with his partner, it dawns on him. John Jones - super-dick - is already on the stage and stealthily making his way toward the centerpiece of the dramatic plot.

Then, something unexpected happens.
The Batman's skirmish knocks a candle holder, and suddenly the drapes are aflame and all the slick runs off John Jones. He becomes a mess. Unable to move -- gripped by fear and confusion -- all while his partner is trying to yell sense as he tears himself away from the masses of robed hoods, desperate to save the kid who's in danger of being sacrificed by some crazy goon with a moustache.

Slam's words fall on deaf ears as J'onn J'onnz is paralzyed by the first signs of weakness during his time hidden amongst the frail humans. Ultimately, it is one of their own that does what he cannot. Like some kind of devil, the Batman slinks across the stage and yanks the cult leader into the shadow of his cape, where only the screams of terror can be heard to eminante from the looming figure.

The Batman does his best to console the child, with whom he might even feel a kindred spirit, but the nightmarish image that sends the cultists fleeing into the night, bares a similar effect on the innocent child already frightened so.

Slam does what any macho male does for a man he admires: he makes an excuse, pretending not to have seen John Jones in his uncharacteristic moment of weakness. Batman, on the other hand, is much less altruistic, silently deducing the secrets of the Martian Manhunter, filed away for future reference. You already know how that pans out, when he brings a medallion to the book-wielding Martian and forces a joint secret-investigation.

I'm running very late, on very little sleep, so I might not have had opportunity to express everything I would've liked to, but at the very least, I hope this can be an interesting future reference point for would-be Martian Manhunter fans.
By interesting coincidence, Kalinara started thinking a bit about JJ only a couple of days after us, putting out a call for strong stories. When it comes to recommendations, I suppose these two issues are what best represent my vision of the character, but there's a whole range of other styles and appearances to be found out there.

What are some of your Martian Manhunter experiences?
I know you readers are out there, and you don't need to be registered to comment, so share your thoughts! I'm sure some of you must be fans of JLI, or how about Sandman? Maybe even the solo work of John Ostrander? Let us know!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 7
Winner: Batman & Slam Bradley
(w/ Martian Manhunter)

Chances are by now you don't need to be told how fantastic The New Frontier has managed to be! For those of you eagerly anticipating the DTV animated movie release, released soon, you might like to consider owning the original full-length story for yourself! Amazon not only provides both the paperback and Absolute editions, but helps sponsor your favourite secret earth every time you use the provided links to purchase. So do so, and help keep us in business!

IN STORES: February 13, 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.

Thin and Crispy...
DEC072173 AVENGERS CLASSIC #9 $2.99
DEC073541 BOYS TP VOL 02 GET SOME (MR) $19.99
DEC070210 CATWOMAN #76 $2.99
DEC070227 CHECKMATE #23 $2.99
OCT070196 GREEN LANTERN HC VOL 01 THE SINESTRO CORPS WAR $24.99
DEC070064 GRENDEL BEHOLD THE DEVIL #4 (OF 8) $3.50
DEC072185 IMMORTAL IRON FIST ORSON RANDALL GREEN MIST DEATH $3.99
DEC072186 INCREDIBLE HERCULES #114 $2.99
DEC072279 IRON MAN TP MANY ARMORS OF IRON MAN NEW PTG $24.99
DEC070230 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #18 $2.99
DEC072055 LOADED BIBLE 3 COMMUNION (ONE SHOT) $4.99
OCT072189 LONERS TP SECRET LIVES OF SUPER HEROES $14.99
DEC072195 MARVEL ADVENTURES AVENGERS #21 $2.99
DEC072205 MIGHTY AVENGERS #9 $2.99
DEC070281 PROGRAMME #8 (OF 12) $2.99
NOV073972 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 15 $12.95
DEC070218 SUPERMAN BATMAN #46 $2.99
DEC070220 SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #12 $2.99
OCT072154 TERROR INC #5 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
DEC072166 ULTIMATE X-MEN #91 $2.99
DEC072167 ULTIMATES 3 #3 (OF 5) $2.99
DEC070063 UMBRELLA ACADEMY APOCALYPSE SUITE #6 (OF 6) $2.99
DEC072129 WITCHBLADE TAKERU MANGA #12 (MR) $3.99
DEC073535 ZORRO #1 $3.50

The Deep Dish...
- DEC070194 BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #4 $2.99
After a shakey start and a last minute change of creative team, Batman and the Outsiders finally starts to look like normalizing. The cover alone warrants big time excitement as another non-powered human joins the team, and promises to bring with him a whole lot of friction! Green Arrow remains an Infinite Wars favourite after a big end to 2007, and the continued value of his stock with this book, and strong outings in the monthly now officially shared with title character, Black Canary.

- DEC070185 COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 10 $2.99
When Countdown was first floated, the prospect of teaming the trio of Donna Troy, Kyle Rayner, and Jason Todd, as a universe-hopping riff on the Challengers of the Unknown, seemed like a great novelty to include in the series. Now that we're approaching the business-end of the titular anticipation; the prospect of the team existing beyond the Search for Ray Palmer is a surprisingly delicious one! I think I'm starting to really hope this trio of titans can last beyond the year-long weekly series, and spin-out in a more convincing way than 52's off-shoots.

- DEC072228 CABLE DEADPOOL #50 $3.99
A string of mediocre issues comes to an end as Cable & Deadpool comes to an unceremonious close. The series, which has mostly served as a title for the merc with a mouth, will wrap things up with a bunch of guest stars, reducing Deadpool's current appearance schedule to the less than thrilling, Wolverine: Origin. However, there's no need to fear, true believer! Word from Marvel is already suggesting something in the future for the 'Poolman! With Cable heavily embroiled in the goings on of the X-Universe, this might mean the return to a solo series!...
One thing's for sure: Sales have helped prolong Deadpool's agonizing death before, so to keep your favourite sword slinging IBS sufferer on shelves, buy this issue!!!

- DEC072187 HULK #2 $2.99
Alright, so I don't go around flaunting it, but sure. I've got some industry contacts, and they've let slip some of the darkest secrets of the mainstream comics industry. A little known fact the public might like to know? There's no such thing as too many Iron Man/Hulk fights.

The Red Hulk gets his initiation in this second issue of a series already receiving decidedly mixed reviews. I think it's fair to say Ed McGuinness on a Hulk title has been a long time coming [Deadpool #4].

The intelligent part of my brain tells me this is neither a series to become attached to, nor is it something that should be expected to illicit any kind of marvellous story. That said, I like to think of myself as a well balanced compromise between broad intelligence and connooisseur of the dismissively so-called 'low brow' end of entertainment. As such, I do find myself interested.

- DEC072163 ULTIMATE HUMAN #2 (OF 4) $2.99
And with something like two hours sleep to my record (contributing to recent lack of feature updates), we round out with a very convenient mini-series. Convenient because you probably didn't believe me when I mentioned just now that there's no such thing as too much Hulk/Iron Man. Well, the proof's in the Warren Ellis pudding. Yes'm.

COVER TO COVER: ENDANGERED SPECIES - Round 3!
As the commercials once said, "X marks the spot! X-Men!"
Following up on the success of the recent Messiah Complex storyline, we're spending the month flipping through the covers of some of the X-titles reviewed in Infinite Wars past! It's fair to say that selection is minor, but we've pulled out the stops to drag in touch points on many of the characters, even in the most unlikeliest of places [like; Amazing Spider-man #327!]

The X-Men have become one of the most powerful brandings in superhero fiction, and despite a lacklustre reputation for story content, many are already touting the return to mutant glory as Messiah Complex wraps up. While the validity of these claims remains to be seen, all indications are that the franchise is undergoing yet another period of transition. With the impact of the movies now far behind us, one wonders what awaits Marvel's merry mutants.

Deadpool #2 (February 1997)
"Operation: Rescue Weasel That Wacky Doctor's Game!" Kelly/McGuinness
The X-Universe has been known to be incredibly far reaching, and they don't reach much farther than Deadpool; the wisecrackin' merc with a mouth!

The infamous relationship-rivalry between 'Pool and the villain with a masterclass, Taskmaster, begins here, as DP's intelligence and weapons man, Weasel, finds himself swept up in a deadly prospect for greater job comfort!

Out to save his buddy, Deadpool finds his hideously disfigured face staring down one of the toughest opponents he has ever faced, but as always, does it with a laugh and a scabbed butt!

Captain America #6 (April 1997)
"Soldiers" Liefeld/Loeb
If it isn't time travelling, it's inter-dimensional travel!
The X-Men's struggle with the evil manifestation of Professor X's psychokinetic guilt and turmoil; better known as, Onslaught; comes at a terrible price to be paid. With the entire Marvel Universe swept up in the battle, the world's mightiest heroes prove the casualties when they seemingly sacrifice their lives for the fate of New York.

Unknown to the rest of the world, they are actually thrust into the safety of a pocket dimension created by the young mutant son of the Fantastic Four, Franklin Richards. Soldier from the future, Cable, soon becomes privvy to the truth when he stumbles upon Captain America by means unknown, and offers to
lend a hand in the fight against Baron Zemo and MODOK!

New X-Men #124 (May 2002)
"Superdestroyer" Morrison/Kordey
A complex series of plots against the X-Men have been initiated by Professor Xavier's telepathic twin and evil doppelganger, Cassandra Nova. A culmination of schemes blossoms in unbridled chaos as the X-Men struggle to deal with their fledgling gifted students, public relations, and the onslaught of a misdirected Shi'ar Imperial guard.

The X-Men are stretched to their very limit as the alien armada unleashes it's sleeper agents and waiting cosmic soldiers, erupting in an orgy of violence Beast, Wolverine, and Jean Grey are forced to contain. All this, plus the warfare of Nano-Sentinel technology, and the embarassment of having homo sapien guests in the mansion!

X-Men 2 (2003)
"X-Men United" Singer/Penn/Hayter/Dougherty/Harris
Long ago Professor Xavier and the mutant master of magnetism, Magneto, shared a dream of peaceful coexistence between humans and homo superior, but Magneto's past leads him to foresee an inevitable war between they and the ignorant massess of humanity.

When the first blow is struck by a manipulated US government, Wolverine finds himself at the centre of this war, all the while seeking answers to a history lost to him. It soon becomes evident that the two matters may be intertwined, but in order to find the truth, Wolverine must survive another like he: the lethal lady, Deathstrike!

New X-Men #150 (February 2004)
"Planet X" Morrison/Jiminez
Having perished in a Sentinal charge along with the mutant-populous of his Island nation, Genosha; Magneto becomes more powerful in death as a martyr to rally mutants and human alike to his rebellious cause.

The X-Men soon discover that Magneto's influence may be even farther reaching than they initially realised, when a new mutant called X'orn unmasks to reveal himself as the master of magnetism! With the aid of a power-enhancing drug called Kick; this Magneto wages war on New York City, contorting it's metal and stone to his own twisted ends. The X-Men must make a final stand as they face this power out of control, and risk everything to protect humans that
will no doubt come to fear and loathe them once again.

COVER TO COVER: ENEMY OF THE STATE!
Mark Millar's penchant for big battles and widescreen action has made him an all-around honored General of the Infinite Wars; but it's been his work on Wolverine that has kept us coming back time and time again. Since our humble begining in 2005, the Enemy of the State storyline has been a constant touchstone, reemerging with new instalments every year. If you're a regular reader you now know first-hand what to expect [Wolverine #22], but if not, backtrack!

No doubt there'll be more of this furious fighting favourite in the future, but before that comes along, maybe you'd like to get better aquainted with the story that's been!

Wolverine #20 (December 2004)
"Part 1" Millar/Romita Jr
The story begins when Wolverine travels to Japan to respond to a call concerning the kidnapped child of a tangential relative of Wolverine's deceased wife. The plot, believed to be a bungled kidnapping of a richer man's son, in fact turns out to be a diabolical plot to lure Wolverine into the clutches of the terrorist organization: Hydra!

Having teamed with the Hand and sponsored the admission of a young Japanese mutant with the ability to kill on-sight, Hydra intends to murder and resurrect Wolverine as a puppet under their control. The plot is the trump card in a General's tactical deck, as Baron Von Struck faces harsh opposition from a Hydra that has grown despondent with his charge.

New Invaders #6 (March 2005)
"Oil and Water" Jacobsen/Lucas
In this unlikely crossover chapter; Wolverine is sent to the Middle East where the Invaders have become involved in an international struggle to secure the oil rich nation of Mazikhandar. Hydra, having invested in the production of over ten thousand synthetic Pterrorist units, sends their secret weapon in the interest of protecting an investment, and supporting the legacy of Nazi ally, Herr Nacht.

An Atlantean alliance ensures the the continued pacification and military security of the region, but when Wolverine murders a water-breathing counsellor, it becomes a bitter vendetta when the Sub-Mariner steps in to squash the Hydra interference in bloody warfare.

Wolverine #24 (March 2005)
"Part 5" Millar/Romita Jr
Upgraded with an arsenal of technology, and under the total remote-control of Hydra, Wolverine officially becomes an enemy of the state as he engages in assassination plots and assaults on the United States President, and various members within the superhero community.

Old rivalries are reignited when Wolverine joins an army of Hand ninja in battle with an old enemy -- Daredevil. Another embroiled in the history of the clan is Elektra, who, having already tussled with Wolverine after his possession, joins SHIELD in attempting to defuse the situation.

It's all out chaos as DD becomes the latest target for
forced recruitment, and Enemy of the State continues!

Wolverine #25 (April 2005)
"Part 6" Millar/Romita Jr
Wolverine's career as a Hydra assassin comes full circle when the terrorist organization sends him home to come face-to-face with his friends and pseudo-family, the X-Men.

With his mission to take a telepath hostage in the interest of locating a hidden President of the United States, Wolverine goes on a hunt across the Xavier Estate, where some of the mightiest forces in the Marvel Universe converge for a final showdown.

Can even the combined power of the X-Men, SHIELD, and assorted Avengers put a stop to Wolverine's murderous rampage, or will they all fall before his unstoppable blade?

What if? Wolverine Enemy of the State #1 (January 2007)
"What If Wolverine Was Never Deprogrammed?" Robinson/Di Giandomenico
Subdued by Captain America, Wolverine is eventually successfully deprogrammed by SHIELD in an interest to turn the tables on Hydra. There are, however, secret Earths where infinite realities playout, and the possibility of Hydra's success is vividly realised.

In this world Captain America suffered crippling defeat at the hands of Wolverine, who went on to declare or destroy America's superheroes, forcing a ragtag bunch of survivors to band together under SHIELD direction. Cap, Sue Storm, Magneto and Kitty Pryde make-up the unlikely last defense; a fantastic foursome with the weight of a world on their back.

WOLVERINE versus FANTASTIC FOUR
Enemy of the State: Part 3 (Marvel)
Where: Wolverine #22 When: January 2005
Why: Mark Millar How: John Romita Jr

The Story so far...
When Wolverine makes the trek to Japan to investigate the disappearance of a child, he finds himself at the mercy of Hyrda and the Hand, working in tandem under the direction of a young mutant killer calling himself - The Gorgon.

Defeated under ambush, Wolverine is momentarily dead, allowing the Hand to turn their mystic powers to resurrecting him under the control of the terrorist empire of Hydra. In doing so, they instigate plans to make Wolverine their ultimate weapon, designed to perform recon missions, as well as infiltrate and forcefully recruit powers within the American superhero community.

Having already dismantled a SHIELD collective and fought his way through former Hand assassin, Elektra; Wolverine is sent into the lion's den when Hydra seek possession of the world's greatest inventive intellect in Reed Richards.
Having infiltrated the Fantastic Four's headquarters before, Wolverine is even better serviced by technological upgrades from Hydra, but against the combined might of Marvel's first family, does a lone mutant stand a chance?...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thing 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Genius)
Speed: Wolverine 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Generator)
Agility: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Rubber)
Fighting Ability: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Human Torch 7 (Cosmic)


- Born a mutant late in the 19th century, James Howlett's life would be a long and arduous one. Baptised by death, he would discover his latent mutant abilities during the traumatic murder of his parents during his adolescence.

As a subject of Weapon X, Howlett's mutant healing factor made him the perfect subject for a delicate procedure to brace his skeleton with the unbreakable metal called adamantium. The metal was even added to Howlett's retractable mutant claws located in his wrists, making them far more effective offensive weapons than their previous bone state.

Code-named Wolverine, James "Logan" Howlett would eventually find more permanent station with an invitation into the paramilitary group, the X-Men.
Wolverine's keen tracking abilities, healing powers, fighting skills, and dedicated grit would make him one of the most active heroes in the superhero community, seen in his more recent admission into the Avengers.

- The Fantastic Four are: Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and Thing.

The original Fantastic Four were exposed to cosmic rays when Reed Richards led the team in a race to beat the Russians to space. Without sufficient preperation time, the shuttle lacked the shielding needed to filter the cosmic radiation, resulting in unique transformations in each member.

The team's adventures take them through time and space, where they regularly do combat with entities and individuals capable of cosmic manipulation. Their amassed allies and enemies exist throughout different galaxies and dimensions.

The team's line-up is typified by Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and Thing, but has been expanded to include the likes of; Crystal, Sub-Mariner, She-Hulk, Medusa, Black Panther, and Storm; among others.

The Math: Wolverine (Avg) Fantastic Four (Ttl) Ranking: Wolverine (#3)

What Went Down...
Having penetrated the unrivalled security of the Fantastic Four HQ, Wolverine ventures into the inner sanctum of the team's hi-tech facility, using air vents to gain a vantage point for reconnaissance. The Hydra puppet observes Thing and Human Torch engaging in domestic activity, but intel takes a backseat when DNA scanning detects Wolverine's presence.

With permission to inflict lethal force, Thing takes the opportunity to launch Johnny Storm's prized hotrod in the vague direction of Wolverine's hiding place.
The space made by the launched vehicle gives Human Torch opportunity to fly ahead of his rocky companion, flamed on. The Torch pins Wolverine to the wall, searing nerves as he scorches the mutant's wrists with the knowledge of his nigh-infallible healing factor.

Unfortunately for the Torch, Hydra's upgrades include a series of hacks in the FF security systems. Utilizing the hacks, Wolverine activates the fire extinguishers with a verbal override, soaking the flaming hero in thick retardant foam.

Recovering from the searing effects of the heat, Wolverine pops his adamantium claws, which still glow with an emenating heat. Before he can inflict any harm on the youngest FFer, the Thing marches through the foam, putting a stop to the assault with a blow that destroys the flooring.

The trio tumble through the shattered level to the area below where multiple observation screens monitor time points, intergalactic junctions, and points around the Earth. The tech-filled zone reminds Wolverine of the odds the Fantastic Four are used to facing, but the Hydra voice in his head keeps him in the game as Thing swings wildly with a massive conduit of cables.

Wolverine slices and evades his way through the maze of piping and cables, navigating toward the Thing. His superior agility gives him the opportunity to get close where he is able to plunge his invincible adamantium claws deep into the rocky bicep of the FF powerhouse. Thing drops to his knees.

Invisible Woman sees to the safety of the Richards children by sending them twenty minutes into the future, in communcard with Mr. Fantastic while he heads toward the battle. Attack robots pick up the slack in the mean time, distracting Wolverine from the badly wounded Thing.

The robots soon begin to retreat, but before Wolverine can recognise the smell of, "Blood and plastic. Meat and gum.", a circular 4 on the ground stretches upward to reveal Reed Richards! He quickly wraps Wolverine inside a sphere of his own elastic flesh, but Hydra is able to compensate with a limited teleport jump, placing the mutant approximately sixty feet away.

While slashing his way through attack droids elsewhere in the compound, Wolverine finds himself suddenly unable to breath. With the scent of Dior in the air, Wolverines witches to infra-red vision which allows him to witness the translucent visage of the Invisible Woman, who delivers a stern warning, before using her powers of invisibility to render Wolvie blind.

Hydra come to Wolverine's rescue with an aerial attack on the Fantastic Four headquarters. The explosion rattles Invisible Woman enough to free Wolverine from her invisible grip, giving him an opportunity to run for the broken window, where a hovering Hydra vehicle waits outside.

The Human Torch returns to the fray, leaping into the night sky to pursue his attacker. Wolverine leaps from the rescue vehicle, catching the Torch mid-air.

With his skin and flesh roasting away under the extreme heat of the Torch's flame, the Hydra-possessed Wolverine wrestles the youth with sinister intent.
Careening out of control, he steers their descent toward "something pretty", landing in the streets below with a devestating explosion.

EMTs soon arrive to pull a gravely wounded and burned Human Torch from the wreckage, unable to find remains for the assumed disintegrated Wolverine.
As you might imagine, the Torch emerges from the rubble under his own steam later in the piece, revealing a healing Wolverine who slashes his way free of the ambulance, and back into the public domain where he can wreak mayhem.

The Hammer...
Okay. A lot of you are probably used to scrolling to this point and drawing your conclusion from image-recognition, before you read the sentence. You might be wondering how I could possibly reason a draw given the destruction and carnage handed out by both parties.

I agonized over this one, because there are three very distinct arguments here. Wolverine (with Hydra) successfully incapacitates all but Mr. Fantastic, getting the better of the Human Torch on two divided opportunities. On the other hand, the Fantastic Four manage to contain the threat of Wolverine, and keep him under their influence the entire time until he resorts to fighting to escape.

Everyone, Johnny Storm included, walks away in relatively good shape, with no definitive final stroke blown by any character. Thus, we call this one, a draw!

We're running a little behind schedule again.
Right now it's the creaky end of Saturday night better known to many as early Sunday. My brain is sending signals through nerve networks to order my fingers to tap away at the keys, but at this point, I'm not sure how much cognitive thought process is going on here.

Though we aren't reviewing the releases of the week, the Infinite Wars endeavours to continue to reflect the zeitgeist and characters of the surrounding moments. This week if you headed to the comic store there's a good chance you were looking for what will no doubt be one of the highest selling books of the month: Fantastic Four.

Mark Millar, the man behind sizable chunks of Ultimate Fantastic Four, returns to the brand under the pressures of the core franchise, for the first time. Despite any conceptual increase in expectation and responsibility, Millar's FF is eagerly anticipated by a wide variety of fans that made up his 200k-plus sales figures on Wolverine, which brings us full circle.

Millar is also set to return to Wolverine with a post-apocalyptic story set in a desolate alternate future. Each project boasts familiar names accompanying the Millar writer's credit; Bryan Hitch and Steve McNiven following up respectively on the two titles likely to share the shelves. While I don't personally regard these pairings with particular emotion, it's undeniable that they have each been catalysts for a formula of success.

We've spoken ad nauseum about Millar's penchant for bombastic action pieces, and it's with pleasure that we add another instalment from his initial run on the Wolverine book to our list. Infinite Wars historians will note that our very first entry was indeed an issue of Enemy of the State [Wolverine #25], not at all by accident.

If you've been following the our X-centric Cover to Cover features [on Sunday], you'll also be familiarized with our awkward relationship with the X-Men books.
Notorious for sub-par storytelling, Wolverine has epitomized the style over substance claims that have crippled the X-franchise's credibility. It's here that Millar enters the fray, putting forward a Wolverine book that makes no attempt to apologise or exceed the character's roots as a tri-colour action superhero. In fact, for the first time in decades, Millar is able to ramp the character up to a point where, under the control of Hydra, he can mercilessly plunge his claws through flesh, and inflict wound upon even the sacred cows of the heroes!

This isn't a book for the intelligencia, but I think sometimes acknowledging your weaknesses and adjusting accordingly can be the greatest sign of practical and tactical intelligence. Millar does that in spades, giving us a tour de force of dream battles pencilled with clunky violence by JRjr, and a host of guest stars.

Having just seen Resident Evil: Extinction, I was talking a bit about zombies, which inevitably got me talking about some of my disappointments in the Marvel Zombies franchise [noted; Marvel Zombies #5]. The glaring omission there, for me, is the reality of the spread of the zombie plague, and more important to the Marvel take on the genre is the way the powers and personalities react.

I love that Millar is able to throw Wolverine into this world with some sense of reality. Direction is scattered, but then, as a terrorist sect that's just come into posession of an exciting new toy, you probably can't blame them for acting on their ambitions, and avoiding potential undermining of intelligence gathering.

Wolverine's incursion on the Fantastic Four HQ is reminiscent of favourite moments in inconsequential history like his unlikely infiltration of Four Freedom's Plaza during the Infinity War [Fantastic Four #366]. Though unreferenced, the longterm reader might also sense an inflected impending tension on the basis of the now classic showdown between Thing and Wolverine, that left the rocky hero disfigured by an adamantium claw slash across his face. For the trivia buffs, this was what provoked the early-nineties fashion faux pas of Thing's metallic helmet.

There's also an underlying savvy beneath the fanboy fantasia.
Wolverine makes his escape at the end of the issue utilizing very overt terrorist tactics. He ensures massive damage in a populated and public area, before returning to terrorist activities with Hydra motivated by an atom-smash combo of science super-fiction, and post-9/11 super-fact.

I don't know if anyone could call this story important, but I think these remain a high point in Wolverine's recent mediocre history, and as always, are a welcome addition to our superhero fight club, cum sports club.

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 5

Wolverine: Enemy of the State is collected in the trade, and is required reading for any fan of the character keen to see what he can do when cut loose in the Marvel Universe! You can check out the full story at a reasonable price by heading over to Amazon, where by purchasing using links provided, you can help sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars! Outstanding!

QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: A League of their Own!
MARTIAN MANHUNTER versus STONE GOD
All Together Now (DC)
Where: Secret Origins #32 When: November 1988
Why: Keith Giffen & Peter David How: Eric Shanower

Quick Fix...
Q: (Art and Literature) What does Wonder Woman have all over her blue shorts? A: Yellow stars.

The follies of my 1983 edition of Trivial Pursuit aside, a lot has changed for comics' most recognise icons. Despite their trials off the page, the trio of Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman, has been elevated to that of a holy trinity within the DCU superhero community.

As DC attempts to rebound from a disppointing follow-up to the weekly comic mechanic [Countdown (to Final Crisis)], they put their best foot forward, announcing a fifty-two issue series built with their biggest heroes central to each story. From here the geneology of supheroes branches out to the Justice League, and from there, outward to a universe of characters.

Like many things in comics, the origin of the Justice League has seen multiple iterations. The moments that bind them, and the characters that are bound, has varied from version to version, and although the DC Trinity represents the foundation of the League for many, I find myself gravitating to a different tale.

Modern storytelling carries with it the gift, (or burden), of sixty years of history, politics, and characterization. As the stories strive for a greater sense of reality, influences from the past help steer and cement characters and places.
This worldly approach to story telling elevates characters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, onto a global scale. For these characters entrenched in their own affairs, it seems almost implausible that they could maintain a regular presence with a team of watchmen, which makes an alternate all the more palatable.

In 1988 the origin was retooled, keeping the threat of an alien gladiatorial invasion, without pulling the Trinity into the heart of the story. While Wonder Woman and Batman get the snub treatment, the Man of Steel manage to clock an appearance, albeit a cameo, dealing with his own threat from afar, too intimidating for the rest of the would-be League to approach.

There has been, and will no doubt be plenty more of, entries featuring the DC heavy hitters. Thus, for a change of pace, I thought it might be nice to celebrate Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley's upcoming work on Trinity by refocusing our attentions on the other individuals that make up the Justice League elite!

Following the order of this segmentalized Secret Origins story, we find our starting point with a character often referred to as 'the soul' of the Justice League: J'onn J'onnz -- the Martian Manhunter.

Set during the early part of his career as a Detective in disguise in Denver [as opposed to his better known base of operations; Gotham City]; J'onn glides high above the city contemplating the potential ramifications of revealing his true identity to his law enforcement colleagues. From this bird's eye vantage point, the astute alien is able to identify a town frozen, it's citizens and vehicles resembling stone statuettes. He recognizes two policemen, right down to shaving scratches observed earlier that morning.

Returning to the sky, the Martian Manhunter quickly spots a giant, featureless stone humanoid marching through the city. From it's eyes, the giant emits yellow beams of energy, responsible for the predicament of Denver's denizens.
Under the cloak of invisibility, the Manhunter swoops in to strike a super powered blow to the creature's cranium, but it goes completely unnoticed. Desperate to turn about events, the Manhunter turns to his skills of telepathy in an effort to communicate with the silent behemoth.

The attempt backfires as the beast absorbs all information from the Manhunter's psyche. This includes his morbid fear of flames, and with that the creature ignites petrol from a nearby gas stop!

With anxiety his greatest threat, Martian Manhunter braves the flames to spiral toward the street where he collides intentionally with a fire hydrant. The hydrant spews water, quashing only part of the fire, which feeds on the flowing supply of fuel.

The Martian again confronts his greatest fears, heading for the stone creature with a zen-like determination. His ability to focus on the point beyond his objective and reject fear allows him to pierce the alien host body like a speeding bullet!

His Martian strength shatters the stone giant, and in doing so, frees Denver of the effects of it's Medusa-like gaze. With the people returned to normal, J'onn J'onnz finds himself in the unexpected predicament of being exposed to humanity in his true form. Recovering from the blow, he is met with disbelief by passersby who lament on his unconvincing appearance, assuming he is a costumed actor in a film. This assumption provides him with convenient anonymity, as he makes a sheepish escape.

As far as Martian Manhunter stories go, this chapter touches upon all the key elements. You've got his conflicted relationship with humanity; his so-called weakness to fire; and a superheroic show that rivals the scale of any Superman adventure story. Perhaps indicative of his vital role with the League, the Manhunter is the first to be conscious of a larger threat, having learned of other creatures from his brief mindscan of the Stone God [named-so in a later issue featuring the conventional Justice League, including the Trinity].

Not too long ago I had a brief exchange online with a couple of the lads from iFanboy, debating the viability of Martian Manhunter as a starring soloist.
This story, by no means, backs up my claims that there is still untapped potential in the much-loved greenskin. Now that I think about it, that might just be fodder for a quick fix in the near future, because Martian Manhunter really is a character I believe in. Evidence of his viability dates back to his earliest appearances in the fifties where, albeit as a less popular character, he sustained stories touting pulp, science fiction and espionage themes.

The character's retroactive history positions him in Gotham City, making his relationship with humanity all the more interesting. If Superman is the immigrant who placed his faith in America and was rewarded by it; Martian Manhunter is the same to [almost] opposite ends.

DC is characterized for it's fantastical and iconic heroes, but often overlooked is an underlying theme of celebrating the outsider.
Far less overt than Marvel's supposed 'everyman' approach, DC pushes among it's top tier, immigrant heroes from Krypton, Mars, Themyscira, Atlantis, and Thanagar.

Martian Manhunter is unique in that he is inevitably positioned as an outsider.
Adopting the persona of Det. John Jones, he lives the stoic life of a hard-edged detective; married to the job, and as abrasive an icon to crooks, as to colleagues. Hailing from a planet where telepathic communication is common place, it is debatable that his stodgy, repressed alias is a similar commentary on human-life as Superman's frail and overlooked, Clark Kent.

Like Superman, this last survivor of his race could be said to be 'coloured' by his environment. Much like a humble upbringing in Kansas influences Superman to adhere to wholesome values; Martian Manhunter may be coloured by a history in the tainted city of Gotham. It's decaying musk is known to filter many of it's personalities through a distorted lens, where it's not unreasonable to think his identity-crisis and paranoia might be fed by a town dripping in corruption.

Martian Manhunter is a favourite character, and as much as I enjoy his position on the Justice League, I love seeing him in a solo capacity. The points needn't necessarily be exclusive, but that might be best left to discuss another day.

Though not recognisable from a major motion picture; Martian Manhunter has been exposed to a new fanbase through the Justice League cartoon series'. Heavily portrayed as the stoic and mournful outsider of the team, Martian Manhunter instantly carries a "cool" factor readily identifiable by mainstream youths in contemporary culture. I wonder if you, the reader, have a story about the Martian Manhunter and how you've come to observe the character.
Be encouraged to scroll down to the comments and let me know, because that's definitely a point of interest!

The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 5.5
Winner: Martian Manhunter

I'd love to give this story a higher rating, but there's no denying that it suffers from a clunky arrangement and corny plot with no heart beyond dragging the characters together. This is a common symptom of this type of storytelling, and was subject of many criticisms in our reviews of Omega Flight, and references to the New Avengers, who failed to form, let alone fight crime, for several issues.

---

AQUAMAN versus MERCURY MONSTER
All Together Now (DC)
Where: Secret Origins #32 When: November 1988
Why: Keith Giffen & Peter David How: Eric Shanower

Quick Fix...
Following the order of chapter-based features, we arrive at perhaps the most baffling DC property in the modern age.

Aquaman is a character best noted for his struggles to appeal to contemporary readers. The best efforts of writers like Peter David, Will Pfeifer, John Arcudi, and Kurt Busiek have succeeded only in further complicating the history of the character, reinventing him through means grim, gritty, traditional, and fantasy-inspired.

The character is often measured by against the Sub-Mariner, two years his predecessor. Though comparable by their connection to the Atlantean lore, the characters are otherwise decidedly different; a popular footnote to their encounter in the DC/Marvel crossover [Marvel versus DC #2].

Like the rest of the team, Aquaman is returned to his roots for this first-year tale of the Justice League, calling upon elements of the 1950s revision that redefined Aquaman as Arthur Curry; surface-dwelling son of a lighthouse keeper, and Atlantean. New to his powers as Aquaman, and the existance of Atlantis, this hero is not without his own struggles with alienation.

The story; part of a line-wide post-Crisis reboot; manages to break the fourth wall to draw upon doubt over Aquaman's value to a superhero team operating on the surface, with powerhouses like Superman.

Aquaman's self-doubt is tested when he discovers blobs of a mercury-like substance floating through the waterways. The source is soon revealed to be a larger mass of the substance, emitting a beam that transforms the sea-life into more of the substance. Alas, Aquaman is caught in it's ray before he can act.

Losing control of his physical form, Aquaman is at the mercy of the tides, helpless in combat moreso than ever.

Attempts to ride the current toward the alien host body prove unsuccessful. Though without character, the creature is able to sense his approach, reforming to leave the hero to drift harmlessly aside.

The creature continues to transmorph the sea creatures in it's wake as it drifts in the direction of Atlantis. Feeling despair for his predicament, the threat to his newly discovered home is enough to pull him from depression.
Noting a whirpool in the distance, Aquaman considers that the alien lifeform might not understand the implications of the phenomena, and begins refocusing the landscape as a homeground advantage.

Aquaman does his best to call upon his telepathic capabilities to encourage a school of fish to head toward the raging whirlpool. It requires great effort, but finally the frustrated deepsea ruler is able to communicate his message.
Lured by the fish, the mercury-like creature moves closer, only to be caught by the roaring spin of the ripping tide. It shreds the glooping host body, dispersing it diluted through the waterways, and returning the sea life to normal.

It is an unremarkable victory for the king, all too reminiscent of the defeat of Namor.
To Giffen and David's credit, they make use of one of Aquaman's more individual skills -- the ability to communicate telepathically with sealife -- that said, one wonders if the solution for a character like this is to play upon his weaknesses.

Unfortunately, Aquaman does seem to have been reduced to a puzzle for any would-be writer that would be assigned the job. Various reboots have found limited, mostly short-lived success, and with such a wide range of approaches taken, indicated few solutions for a character once, long ago, deemed viable.

Aquaman very nearly received a shot in the arm with a television series, Mercy Reef, set to spin-out of the character's appearance on the hit WB teen drama, Smallville. The project ultimately failed to 'hold water,' but the unaired pilot managed to garner plenty of attention from TV-philes, and fanboys alike.

Looking back on the history of comic book revivals, Aquaman really is in an ironically favourable position. In the tradition of tarnished and disgarded heroes like Swamp-Thing, Animal Man, or even Batman; Aquaman is in a prime position for something radical to open the floodgates to success. Of course, this would require a serious rethink of strategy on DC's part, and an admission of defeat for a new character holding the mantle with mixed results.

Not too long ago we made reference to the pie-in-the-sky prospect of joining DC and Marvel's review-copy mailing list [JSA #65]. The concept here would be for DC and Marvel to directly sponsor characters in our makeshift rankings, using the site to promote weekly issues starring their franchise characters.
At first glance this sounds like a silly and selfish want, but is actually meant to propose an edict central to the concept of the Infinite Wars. Both companies have been guilty of placing great value on the names of writers and artists, and to their credit, the recognition is not only deserved, but demanded by fans who vote with their dollar. Even so, characters will inevitably transcend the people who make their adventures possible, and as much as the creators deserve their slice of recognition, for characters like Aquaman, the push to attach recognisable and/or acceptable names to projects seems to have superceeded any heart-felt attempts at a relaunch.

Not to say there haven't been strong hi-concepts attached to relaunches.
Over the last decade, Aquaman has been identified by three hard shifts in creative direction. The loss of a hand, Sub-Diego, and 'lord of the rings' beneath the sea have all pushed a strong concept that has failed to tread water, arguably losing steam as they enter the deep end of on-going runs.

There's no 'quick fix' to the Aquaman problem.
Honestly, if approached with the opportunity to redefine the character, I'm not sure I'd be confidently up to the task. I've got ideas, sure. There are character traits waiting to be drawn upon, but all of them seem, to me, to stem from DC taking greater investment in the character. That means suffering hard choices to avoid undermining the character with hard reboots. It might also mean turning one of the so-called 'big seven' icons loose to allow for organic transition, but above all else it means investing in the character.

What are your ideas for an Aquaman revamp?
Would you turn the character loose on an endless world of science-fiction and fantasy, or is the irreverant parody a prospect that speaks to your whims? Scroll down to the comments section, and let us know!

The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 5.5
Winner: Aquaman

Bonus points in this otherwise tame fight for ingenuity!
More droning rantings as we follow the rest of the post-Crisis Justice League origin sometime in the very near future! If time allows, no doubt we'll get a chance to talk more about Martian Manhunter in the entry promised earlier in the fix. More Aquaman is unlikely... Maybe some Sub-Mariner. Or maybe just Batman...

IN STORES: February 13, 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.

Thin and Crispy...
DEC070024 BPRD 1946 #2 (OF 5) $2.99
NOV072139 CAPTAIN MARVEL #3 (OF 5) $2.99
DEC070184 COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 11 $2.99
DEC072182 FANTASTIC FOUR LOST ADVENTURE $4.99
NOV070020 GOON #21 $2.99
DEC070192 GOTHAM UNDERGROUND #5 (OF 9) $2.99
DEC070198 GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #5 $2.99
DEC070229 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #21 $2.99
DEC072201 MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #6 $3.99
DEC072206 NEW AVENGERS #38 SII $2.99
DEC072229 NEW EXILES #2 $2.99
DEC072232 PUNISHER FORCE OF NATURE (MR) $4.99
DEC070193 SALVATION RUN #4 (OF 7) $2.99
DEC072272 SUB-MARINER TP REVOLUTION $14.99
DEC072221 X-FORCE #1 DWS $2.99

The Deep Dish...
- DEC070197 BOOSTER GOLD #0 $2.99
Booster Gold is doing his darndest to ensure the safety of his best pal, Blue Beetle. We talked a bit about Geoff Johns and his rules of time travel as they were established in JSA [JSA #65]! If you're lucky, you might find some insights into one of the zaniest series on shelves today!

- DEC072181 FANTASTIC FOUR #554 $2.99
Despite the absolutely hideous Bryan Hitch artwork on the cover, I'm still looking forward to this. Perhaps naively, I'm not quite sure what to expect from Mark Millar. We've seen the Scot tackle Marvel's first family in UFF, Wolverine, and Civil War, but I would expect something a little more traditional from his work on the core title. Should be very interesting to see how things unfold for Millar in 2008, with a lot of things on the way!

- DEC072093 JACK STAFF #14 $3.50
Turn this into one big fat checklist for reviews done earlier in the month? Hey! Why not? Jack Staff now promises to be a consistently monthly release from Image Comics, helping elevate the character up the totem pole of iconic heroes coming from the industrious print.
Still not sure about easing into the Staff fold? If you rummage through our review [Jack Staff #1], you might just find a perfectly legal way to read a couple of issues for free!

- DEC072194 MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK #8 $2.99
Someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on here! We've been following the Adventures book in the shipping lists for the past couple of months, and the Hulk certainly promises more than most Marvel books. Of course, being on the arse end of poor, I haven't actually had a chance to read it, but you can be sure it'll be on my catch-up list with promise of Dr. Strange, Silver Surfer, and Namor -- aka; Defenders classic!

- DEC072212 PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #16 $2.99
An Alex Maleev cover is a dirty tease for a book with less than thrilling interiors by Howard Chaykin. The gritty urban stylings of Alex Maleev, which have been all too scarce since he wrapped up his tenure on Daredevil, are exactly the kind of style we'd love to see on Punisher! Well, I guess it doesn't hurt that this issue follows up the now classic bar wake, where Frank Castle blew up a good many villains, including - dramatic pause - The Gibbon!

- DEC072169 SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #7 $4.99
If you somehow missed the banner, the Spider-Boycott is still in full swing.
Even so, we have to at least point to this, the best Spider-title being printed the past few years, because it's everything a fan needs. For all intents it sounds like BND is suitably bland, but Spider-Man Family delivers everything the reboot hasn't, without any of the baggage!
At $4.99 and over 100 pages, this is still perhaps the best value book on the shelves, even if it's attached to the stigma of the worst mainstream story in decades!