IN STORES: AUGUST 20, 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...
JUN080289 AIR #1 (MR) $2.99
JUN082306 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #568 NWD $3.99
JUN080200 BATGIRL #2 (OF 6) $2.99
JUN080213 BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #10 $2.99
JUN082319 CAPTAIN AMERICA #41 $2.99
JUN080284 DC WILDSTORM DREAMWAR #5 (OF 6) $2.99
JUN082404 FOOLKILLER WHITE ANGELS #2 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
JUN082359 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #4 SI $2.99
JUN082361 INCREDIBLE HERCULES #120 SI $2.99
JUN080226 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #24 $2.99
FEB082157 MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #10 $2.99
JUN082327 MARVEL 1985 #4 (OF 6) $3.99
JUN080207 ROBIN #177 $2.99
JUN080231 THE SPIRIT #20 $2.99
JUN080212 SUPERMAN BATMAN #51 $2.99
JUN080177 TRINITY #12 $2.99
JUN082325 TRUE BELIEVERS #2 (OF 5) $2.99
JUN082301 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #57 $2.99
JUN082398 X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #15 $2.99

The Deep Dish...
- JUN080214 BIRDS OF PREY #121 $2.99
Joker remains a hot property with The Dark Knight approaching several box office records that appear to have given DC a license to print novelty money, if not several stories revisiting Alan Moore's pseudo-origin, The Killing Joke. Recent issues of Booster Gold quite literally went back to the event, which, despite occasional lapses of certainty, can be firmly considered 'in continuity.' This time around it's a live redux as Joker finds his way into the Birds' newest nest, and comes face-to-face with the woman he crippled - former Batgirl, Barbara Gordon!

- JUN080217 BRAVE AND THE BOLD #16 $2.99
They'll be presumably fighting for the same side when Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe hits gaming consoles later in the year, but if you couldn't wait for a Superman/Catwoman team-up in the game, then look no further than Brave and the Bold! It wasn't so long ago we were ready to condemn the series to death, but it seems like there's life in the old girl, yet! Mark Waid appears to be mixing it up with some interesting results, producing not only intriguing team-up combinations, but what feels like the work of an entirely different writer. Scot Kolins could be the make or break contributor, depending on whether or not we get the comic book penciller, or the hideous CG-[un]finished dry waller. Cruel to be kind, cruel to be kind.

- JUN080180 FINAL CRISIS LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #1 (OF 5) $3.99
Solicitations refer to the character as "Superboy-Prime," potentially making the status of his name the more involving piece of the canon. Say what you will about Prime, the character analagous to an angry fanboy, but I kinda like him! Sure, the character's been bouncing broadly through events that have included; Infinite Crisis, the Sinestro Corps War, and Countdown to Final Crisis; but is that so wrong? Not especially fond of the Legion, I don't really know what to expect from this series, but imagine it will be largely removed from the core of Final Crisis. It's the unpredictability of all the elements that actually has me quite interested!

- JUN082329 GHOST RIDER #26 $2.99
Speaking of fanboy tittilation and unpredictability; it's a tale of two Ghost Riders as Danny Ketch makes his promised return to the pages currently inhabited by original hellspawn, Johnny Blaze!
Fans clammoring for the second generation's return will have mystery and intrigue to look forward to, with allusions to Vengeance supposedly somewhere in the future. It remains, however, to be seen if the spirits of vengeance will all be on the same side!

- JUN082333 IRON FIST ORIGIN OF DANNY RAND $3.99
More seventies revivals as the kung fu revolution continues, post- Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction! Their revival rested heavily on the surprisingly rarely recapped origins of the kung fu fighter from K'un L'un. Diehards, latecomers, and fans of the martial arts genre might like to give this one a look through, as the lens is turned to the epic origins of Danny Rand!

- JUN082370 MOON KNIGHT #21 $2.99
Despite a promising start, Moon Knight failed to really carve out any kind of substantial niche, in issues that suffered from a fate I'm not especially fond of describing as decompression. The series looks to return to the Marvel Universe in a less arbitrary sense than vague Civil War tie-ins when Marc Spector is confronted by the Thunderbolts for his violent besmirchment of the Initiative moral.

- JUN082402 PUNISHER #61 (MR) $2.99
I love this cover, but can't help but wonder if that's going to be an immediate turn-off to fans of Garth Ennis' MAX Punisher. Should be interesting to see how the mature title handles the upcoming December release of the violent feature, Punisher War Zone.

- JUN080194 TANGENT SUPERMANS REIGN #6 (OF 12) $2.99
The Wildstorm/DC crossover ramps up with the promise of one Superman fighting another!
I'm not sure how successful the title has been at luring fans to lagging Wildstorm titles, but if I were to happen to receive review copies, I'm sure it's the kind of series that would fit right in with the Infinite Wars. Big hero action as we like it!


Know Your Trade...
MAY084197 DRAGON BALL Z VIZBIG ED GN VOL 02 $17.99
JUN082432 MIGHTY AVENGERS TP VOL 01 $14.99
JUN082409 MMW AMAZING SPIDER-MAN HC VOL 10 $54.99
MAY080061 MYSPACE DARK HORSE PRESENTS TP VOL 01 $19.95
JUN082440 PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL CLASSIC TP VOL 01 $24.99
MAY080223 SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE ATOM TP VOL 02 $16.99
MAY080208 SUPERMAN CHRONICLES TP VOL 05 $14.99

WEEKEND WARZONE: MUSIKALITY!


Mortal Kombat exploded onto the gaming scene in 1992 with a spray of blood and bones, and ever since, fans have watched closely as Scorpion and Sub-Zero have battled their way through thick and thin; sometimes against each other, but usually for the greater good of Earthrealm!

The first MK presented us with the mysterious Japanese ninja, Scorpion, whose bitter hatred for his Lin Kuei counterpart brought him back from the pits of hell on a mission of revenge. As we would learn much later, Scorpion believed Sub-Zero and his clan to be reponsible for the death of himself, his family, and the entire army of Shirai-Ryu ninja. In truth, Sub-Zero was only responsible for the death of the ninja, having killed him while the pair were pitted against one and other in a competition to obtain rare artifacts belonging to the fallen Elder God, Shinnok.

Responsible for their adversarial contest, and the eradication of the Shirai-Ryu, was the elusive Netherealm sorcerer, Quan Chi. In exchange for Sub-Zero's successful retrieval of Shinnok's powerful amulet, Quan Chi used his mystic arts in an ambush to destroy the clan.

Unware of these details - Scorpion pursued Sub-Zero even after successfully avenging his death at the Mortal Kombat tournament of the first game. In the sequel, believing his foe to have survived, Scorpion returned once more, but soon discovered this Sub-Zero was an honorable inheritor of the mantle that had once been his brothers! Scorpion vowed to defend this Sub-Zero if ever he could, but their alliance would be uneventful, if short lived.

Still bound to the vengeful curse of the spectre, Scorpion returned during Shinnok's war on the gods to seek out Sub-Zero once more, now believing him to be tied to his infernal damnation. Scorpion defeated the younger Sub-Zero, but soon learned the truth of Quan Chi's treachery, which had involved his manipulation against the interference of the younger Sub-Zero.

As defeat was dealt to Shinnok -- Scorpion dragged Quan Chi down with him to the Netherealm, where the ninja spectre intended to pursue the last stage of his quest for vengeance.

The powerful sorcerer was able to evade death at the hands of the ninja, but did not escape the Netherealm until discovering ancient runes that revealed the prophecy of the Dragon King. Using two oni - Moloch and Drahmin - Quan Chi successfully drove of Scorpion's attacks and escaped the Netherealm to form an alliance with another powerful sorcerer - Shang Tsung.
Scorpion too escaped in an unsuccessful bid to exact revenge on Quan Chi (and end the deadly alliance), but was thwarted by the oni who pursued him, destroying his physical form in a tornado of souls that ripped the impurities of his body apart.

Reformed - Scorpion was recruited by the Elder Gods as their new champion, destined to defeat the ultimately resurrected Dragon King - Onaga! Scorpion served them well, but when Onaga was finally defeated, his vengeful attentions were torn from Quan Chi, redirected toward the Elder Gods who promised him the resurrection of the Shirai-Ryu, but delivered an army of undead.

The scenes in our special presentation, taken from Mortal Kombat 4, reveal the dramatic moment Quan Chi revealed his treachery to Sub-Zero and Scorpion. With music by Matt Berry (the theme from Snuff Box), a little imagination will have you singing along as each character sings his part in a musical tale of betrayal, treachery, and retribution.

In this scene, Sub-Zero compells Scorpion to recognise his innocence ["To live on my own just seems tragic"] when the ninja confronts him ["I can't be in love if it's plastic"]. Scorpion warns of his vengeance should Sub-Zero be deceiving him ["But we'll raise our swords high when our day comes"], only to learn the truth in shocking fashion ["You thought it was gold, but it was bronze"]. Scorpion then ultimately joins Sub-Zero, using his powers to destroy the sorcerer.

Critics are already calling Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Scorpion the Musical as tragic anything the Greeks ever conceived. Tragic, indeeeeeed!

INFINITE WARS: IT'S VIRTUALLY COMICS!
Top 25 Gaming Icons
#1 Ryu (Capcom)
#2 Goro (Midway)
#3 Noob Saibot (Midway)
#4 Dhalsim (Capcom)
#5 Ken Masters (Capcom)
#6 Johnny Cage (Midway)
#7 Sonya Blade (Midway)
#8 Guile (Capcom)
#9 R. Mika (Capcom)
#10 Sagat (Capcom)
#11 Raiden (Midway)
#12 Fei Long (Capcom)
#13 Akuma (Capcom)
#14 Sakura (Capcom)
#15 T. Hawk (Capcom)
#16 Jin Kazama (Namco)
#17 Rose (Capcom)
#18 Chun-Li (Capcom)
#19 Vega (Capcom)
#20 Birdie (Capcom)
#21 Kano (Midway)
#22 Scorpion (Midway)
#23 Liu Kang (Midway)
#24 Balrog (Capcom)
#25 Sodom (Capcom)

Rankings are obviously
based on site statistics,
and not stature or value
to gaming as a whole.
Click links for stat info.Iconic designs, colourful worlds, trademark attacks:
Superheroes and video games go together like a two-hit
combo! Prepare to be outraged as the Infinite Wars
rattles off the greatest comic book inspired games EVAR!

Longtime readers of the Infinite Wars should know by now, we're no strangers to the land of the interactive!

Our preference for immersive narratives and cinematic FMV cut scenes might be outdated in this era of shoot 'em ups and online gaming; but adoration for the PSX-era hasn't stopped us diving headlong into relevance with the release of Street Fighter IV and Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe!

As part of our recent spate of expanded content on Mondays, we're turning the scope away from franchise favourites like MK and SF to bring it all back to the superheroes that make the Infinite Wars possible!
This means our top six list will not include Street Fighter Alpha 3, Tekken 4, or Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, nor will it feature some popular internationally inspired imports, like; Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 or Ghost in the Shell (1997); even though these are all worthy admissions.

DC fans can probably quite rightly checkout right about now.
Their history in video games has pretty dismal, peppered with only occasional glimpses of hope. Highlights almost exclusively include crossmedia adaptations, including: Batman Begins film; Batman Returns (Master System two-path platformer); the Batman animated series; and Death of Superman event.
The latter scores points with us for it's forced-playable inclusion of Steel!

The future, however, looks relatively bright for the DC Universe.
Among the major releases looming - DC Universe Online - an MMO that will attempt to mine the untapped promise of the massively multi-player genre that seems inherently favourable to the format of superhero universes. The experience will offer players the chance to develop their characters as young heroes in the DCU, boasting adventure/action gameplay uncharacteristic of the format.

DC has the genres covered on consoles, serving: Lego Batman (3D platforming), Arkham Asylum (narrative heavy action/adventure in the mould of Silent Hill), and Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe (neo-classic 1v1 beat 'em up)!

On the internet, the future's a long time away, so in the mean time, let us look back to the milestones of the past, which are sure to enrage and confuse many!
For more on MKvsDCU be sure to check out our brief one-on-one with Jimmy Palmiotti - one of the writers on the crossover video game - and stay tuned for more as we talk to the MK side of the writing to probe for more details!

#6 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (Marvel)
Publisher: Activision Release: October 2006
Platforms: GBA, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox, Xbox 360
Starring: Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, Blade, Dr. Doom

With a storyline that facilitates little more than a parade of Marvel villain cameos; this slot probably belongs to the slightly superior X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse.

Consider it the expansive representation of the Marvel Universe that gets Ultimate Alliance into our top six.
Players have a smorgasboard of characters at their disposal as they option groups of four to tackle incremental obstacles that lead to a disappointingly villainous Dr. Doom.

While not nearly as repulsive as Tim Story's big screen version, (besmirched onscreen by Julian McMahon), the Doom featured here is so manically driven to dominate Earth, he uncharacteristically threatens all of existence itself with the godly powers he assimilates. Though arguably familiar to the source material, it is far from the definitive, or most admirable of depictions for the iconic villain.

Hack & slash gameplay offers little in the way of replay value in this action RPG, enhanced not at all by a yes/no stack of optional ending sequences, delivered by the Watcher dependent on your success in side missions performed in-game.

Fusion - a sequel announced for a 2009 release - will build on the espionage storyline of 2004's Secret War. Little is known about the sequel save for the introduction of Green Goblin and Venom as unlikely playable characters connected to the secret plot of Latverian and government sponsorship of super villains.
Inclusions like these into the substantial roster of heroes will be necessary to improve upon the formula of the first game, which, admittedly, rests almost solely on the name value of locations and characters together in a video game for the first time.

Which the game's X-Franchise predecessors weren't necessarily impressive, their adherence to a plot felt more involving than the arbitrary chain of encounters felt in Ultimate Alliance. Likewise, the originality of the experience maintained some level of awe after the first, enhanced by fan favourite inclusions like Deadpool.
Ultimate Alliance introduced interesting inclusions, like; Ghost Rider, Ms. Marvel, Black Panther, Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Nick Fury, as well as a host of platform exclusive characters and downloadable packages for the Xbox 360.

#5 Spider-man/Venom: Maximum Carnage (Marvel)
Publisher: LJN Release: September 1994
Platforms: Genesis, SNES
Starring: Spider-man, Venom, Black Cat, Firestar, Morbius, Captain America, Iron Fist, Carnage, Shriek, Doppelganger

In a strange twist, the red cartridge edition of Maximum Carnage bares as much nostalgic fondness as the comic does ill will. It's a dichotomy that makes this one of the more interesting games from a strictly comic book perspective, not just for the differing reception of the adaptation between mediums, but for it's literal use of panels straight from the comic book crossover!

While comics as a medium were dragging their heels toward an industry-wide recession, the presence of Marvel superheroes in video games was reaching forward toward a new pinnacle!

While Maximum Carnage lacked the diverse playable options, it clearly benefitted from the example set two years prior by Konami's 1992 X-Men arcade game. Many are sure to feel the latter should have appeared on our list, but the Spidey vehicle steals the show by taking much of what made Konami's classic work, and refining it to serve a stronger narrative, and more involving and attractive game.

In 2005, Activision erroneously promoted Ultimate Spider-man as the first game that granted players the opportunity to take control of Venom in a game. Maximum Carnage, of course, was the first to present that unique experience, rallying off the mounting success of the symbiote through the early nineties. LJN parent company, Acclaim, milked one more round out of the symbiote double-header with a less enticing Maximum Carnage sequel, Seperation Anxiety.

Maximum's formula was undoubtedly repetitive and as steeped in the tropes of the genre as any other post-Double Dragon scrolling beat 'em up, but did it well with quality sprites and variation in gameplay between it's lead protagonists.
Also on cue was a variety of cameos that not only reflected the ragtag collective seen in the comic, but added that extra bit of excitement in an era where the icons of Marvel and DC comics still had mythic significance to the gaming public.

It's debatable whether or not the games had any role in foreshadowing the genre crossover into it's Ultimate Alliance future, but as a successor to X-Men, it is a significant time capsule for two industries that have changed substantially over the last fifteen years. Maximum Carnage is not only a testament to the development of technology, but also a reminder of simpler times for both mediums, when the four-colour hero and growing presence of story was king.

#4 Marvel Super Heroes vs Street Fighter (Marvel)
Publisher: Capcom Release: June 1997
Platforms: PSX, Saturn
Starring: Spider-man, Wolverine, Captain America, Hulk, Ryu, Sakura, Chun-Li, Ken Masters, Akuma, Apocalypse

Say what you will about Capcom's business practises.
It won't change the cultural significance of their many iterations of the Marvel/Capcom Versus franchise!

In many ways it was this series that took Marvel's presence in gaming to the next level, beyond that of our era-defining #5 pick.
It began late 1994 with the Japanese arcade release of X-Men: Children of the Atom, but expansion for the franchise saw a highspeed volley of updates that brought us 1995's Marvel Super Heroes, and 1996's X-Men vs Street Fighter.
It was here the longevity of the Marvel/Capcom relationship was solidified as the titles meandered their way from arcades to home console over the course of several enduring years.

The Versus series culminated with 2000's hyperactive penultimate instalment, Marvel vs Capcom 2. By this stage the series had accumulated a sizable cast of selectable characters that came to include Cable, Marrow, and a bone claws Wolverine, with this new chapter. While the '97 Marvel/Street Fighter lacked these broad inclusions, (and favourites like Venom), it is, for me, the moment in time that most defines the excitement and balance of this era of games.

Before characters from Mega Man and Resident Evil found their way into the game, it was all about the arena of the Street Fighters.
The clash of superheroes, and world warriors, in the format Marvel had borrowed meant the ultimate realisation of arcade curiosity. While very few have actually stopped to ask whether Sub-Zero could beat Batman; the natural progression of these games meant the rivalry between Marvel and Street Fighter was ripe for the picking in these, the final glory days shared by both arcade cabinets and home consoles.

Despite the legend of Japan's distain for American brands; Capcom showed great intuition for adapting the heroes and their trademark assaults for the gaming language. Catchcrys like "Final Justice" and "Berzerker Barage" accompanied high quality animations that sent the likes of Captain America and Wolverine into animé-inspired renditions of their iconic comic book attacks

The transition to the fighting genre wasn't necessarily inherently suited to the advantages of superheroes, but created a strange new standard, yanking the super powered characters out of platform gaming, into the arena of pure combat.
Marvel probably didn't benefit a great deal from the fictional value of the appearance, which featured a new level of arbitrary for Capcom writing, but without this series of games, one wonders if Marvel's success in the medium would be as diverse as it is today. Despite the heavy repetition of sequels, these games helped sustain mainstream interest in both brands for years, and continue to have great value as a milestone of entertainment history.

Of course, it wasn't all good.
The lasting influence of the Capcom games inevitably gave license to studios like Activision and EA to produce much less admirable beat 'em ups like Mutant Academy and the now infamous, Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects.
Interestingly enough, only the Imperfects found their way into Marvel tie-in comics, with plans for a Marvel/Capcom mini-series falling by the wayside to the dismay of many, I am sure.

#3 Spider-Man (Marvel)
Publisher: Activision Release: April 2002
Platforms: Gamecube, GBA, PC, PS2, Xbox
Starring: Spider-man, Green Goblin, Vulture, Shocker, Scorpion, Harry Osborn

How interesting it is that our preselections are providing such clean segues: The winding history of Marvel's game licensing saw Activision accompany their unfortunate 2000 X-Men beat 'em up, (the afformentioned, Mutant Academy), with the redeeming release of the first instalment of what would become a series of 3D Spider-man games.

The release of Spider-man on Playstation, Nintendo 64 and other contemporary platforms redefined what was expected of the web-slinging experience. Rising from the ashes of a plethora of 2D platformers; Activision expanded Spidey's world, using their popular Tony Hawk engine, to include planes of movement that allowed a depthy experience of indoor/outdoor wall crawling, rooftop web-slinging, and a range of familiar acrobatic attacks.
After drawing heavily on the trademarks of the comics, the series turned to the cinematic success of Spider-man to propel the franchise forward.

The advancements of a new generation of consoles allowed Treyarch to render beyond the black void that had enshrowded the lower levels of skyscrapers in previous games, expanding New York City into a photo realistic playground.
While the street would be out-of-bounds for one last time, 2002's Spider-man offered up a blend of story driven level design, and free roaming web-swinging.

The plot, which largely centred around events from the film, also managed to weave a fairly competent narrative that connected Norman Osborn to other characters in the Spider-man universe - like Mac Gargan, whose arachnoid enhancements as Scorpion are mistaken for Spider-man by Oscorp attack droids.

While the game lacks designed replay value of it's successors; which relied on repetitive chance encounters to keep players moving around New York City; the lure of playing Harry Osborn as the Green Goblin offers a truly unique gaming experience which might even prove more fun than playing Spidey. The goblin glider is equipped with all the tricks you'd expect, giving players an extreme range of movement and maneuverability that makes the game easier and consequently, more tolerable, on a second playthrough. Continuity nuts might grizzle over the inclusion of a secondary post-movie narrative, which sees Harry attempt to uncover the identity of yet another Goblin, whose connections seem to suggest manipulations of his father, but this arbitrary clash with 2007's Spider-man 3 was a welcome addition at the time.

This year's Web of Shadows will mark the eighth annual instalment of Activision's console license. While technology has continued incremental innovation in the games, the brand is certainly feeling tired. Having toured the Ultimate and movie universes, gimmicks are the pitch behind the most recent versions, like 2007's movie-cameo heavy Friend or Foe - a 3D beat 'em up that merged a Marvel Team-Up concept with the tradition of [#5] Maximum Carnage.
Sadly, none of these really measure up to the first few games.

#2 Phantom 2040 (King Features Syndicate)
Publisher: Viacom Release: June 1995
Platforms: Game Gear, Genesis, SNES
Starring: Phantom, Graft, Rebecca Madison

A crossmedia franchise far from being exhausted is the Phantom! In only his second video game appearance, the ghost who walks is brought to life as the twenty-fourth incarnation of the character, in the year 2040.

In 1994; Peter Chung (of Æon Flux fame) was offered the opportunity to put his stamp on the character for a new series designed to reimagine the character that began in 1936 for television audiences of the mid-nineties.
Borrowing heavily from the tropes of popular sci-fi animé and manga; Chung's characteristically lanky designs populated the futuristic landscape of Metropia - a grim realisation of New York City in recovery from an industrial disaster that seemingly claimed the lives of the 23rd Phantom and his apparent arch-nemesis, Maxwell Madison.

Survived by his wife, Rebecca; Madison's Maximum Inc. continues it's corporate malevolance in an effort to manipulate the ecologically harmful redevelopment of Metropia as Cyberville. The game follows this plot relatively closely, casting players as the young Kit Walker, whose responsibility is to inherit the legacy that has been handed down to generations of Phantom sons over five hundred years.

Metroid style power-ups give players the chance to equip the Phantom's trademark guns with a diverse range of new powers, while basic gamplay mirrors the character's abilities from the television series. Elements of gameplay, like rope swinging, managed to excede much of what was established in games starring rival franchises like Spider-man and Batman.
The true key to the games success, however, was an interactive narrative that allowed players to navigate through a multitude of plot deviations that would completely change the course of any given game. Prioritized by the decisions of the player, a range of levels familiar to fans of the series were on offer, some universal to paths, but reshaped by the course of decision making.

More conventional was the presence of multiple endings awaiting players as they careen toward their confrontation with a resurrected Maxwell Madison. Decisions made throughout the game ultimately decide the depth of the ending, and whether or not the twist ending from the TV series is revealed.
The lure of details like these, as well as elusive power-ups and levels available only in certain courses, make replay value considerable for a game of the era!

Loyalty to Peter Chung's designs compliment immensly memorable gameplay and writing. If fans could have been torn away from the more popular trademarks of Marvel and DC, this drastically underappreciated game might just be remembered as one the most complex 2D platformers ever made!

Though dwarfed by the expansion of modern, open world gaming; titles like Phantom 2040 will make virtual console downloads well worth the money for gamers tolerant of nostalgic technologies.

#1 X-Men 2: Clone Wars (Marvel)
Publisher: Sega Release: May 1995
Platforms: Sega Genesis
Starring: Wolverine, Magneto, Gambit, Cyclops, Beast, Nightcrawler, Psylocke, Apocalypse, The Phalanx

I pity the fool who chose Nintendo in ye olde console wars! Putting aside the continually befuddling output of inferior technology; those who opted for the clunky graphics of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System willfully chose to pass up the Sega-exclusive experience of what I deem the greatest comic book video game ever made.

Those fiercely dedicated to Konami will agree with the brand, if not the title, but oh, I can only assume you never experienced the sheer glory of X-Men 2: Clone Wars.

If your memory of the mid-nineties is forever marred by Spidey's endlessly convoluted tussle with clones, fret not! Inspired by 1994's Phalanx Covenant; the story of Clone Wars throws you into a paranoid world tour of the X-Universe, throwing players in locales of many iconic X-foes in an effort to mount an offensive-defense against the invading alien menace of the Phalanx!

In the battle against assimilation, players control Beast, Psylocke, Gambit, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine, eventually recruiting Magneto into the playable fold, as well! As a chief villain in many previous games - and a boss in this one - the opportunity to control the revered master of magnetism proved a massive sales pitch with fans! Other villains, like Apocalypse, also help round out the name spotting of the game.

While not nearly as involving as Phantom 2040; a competent plot makes Clone Wars an enjoyable experience, but as with many games of the era, the true lure of progress is conveyed through the interactive details of levels and characters, which are sourced regularly from the comics themselves.

I have to admit, when I sat down to take screenshots I was reminded that I might be looking at the game through rose coloured glasses. It truly is worthy of our top spot, but graphics might not have been the Capcom-grade hand drawn quality I had remembered. That, however, does not take away from a visually competent game that offers a great balance in differentiation between levels, whilst honoring the iconic designs of the Jim Lee-era characters very well.

The ultimate secret to X-Men 2's success is the quality of quantity.
If you're at all like me and sometimes find yourself crying yourself to sleep for one more 2D Shinobi sequel, you're going to want to give this a shot! Platform gaming takes on a very Shinobi-esque approach in X-Men 2, recalling similar level designs, as well as a range of abilities that mirror those of Joe Musashi. Wolverine in particular bares resemblence to the character - sans shuriken - with his ability to run, flip, slash, and claw his way through an environment that offers reward to the player willing to exploit these abilities (particularly climbing). Other abilities, like the wall spring, are shared amongst other characters, who all play with a speed and grace defiant of any Nintendo equivalent!

All the characters, it should be said, possess their own unique gameplay elements, expressed, as with all details in the game, far better than the clunky midgets of the previous Genesis X-Men (1993). This diversity contributes not only to the fun of choosing a character for each level, but make the eventual unlocking of Magneto all the sweeter for his abilities to hover, blast, and explode!

Nightcrawler's teleport takes on a more specific method than the Konami-esque side-to-side jittering, restricted by level boundaries in ways not seen in the previous game, but more a more fluid inclusion that joins his acrobatic and climbing abilities. Nightcrawler lacks his sword, while Gambit his staff, as well as fullfilling projectile attacks, along with Cyclops. Beast plays the powerhouse, slightly less mobile in his acrobatics than Wolverine or Psylocke, who steps into the interchangable female role to replace Dazzler, for those Konami enthusiasts.

I'm not sure I can express adequately what makes this game so great, but maybe in the coming months I'll get another opportunity to elaborate, if not sell a few more of you, on the quality of the entry. In the mean time, we're running very late, and there's a lot of other rushed, poorly conceived writing to be done!

Be sure to stay tuned for more superhero fisticuffs and our on-going coverage of Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe, which will include an interview with the MK team sometime in the near future. It should be very interesting! There's also the Jimmy Palmiotti interview, which, if you're taking note of post dates, was conducted in the future. Haw!

C2C OLYMPIAD: THE TEAM GOLD STANDARD!
Okay, so it's a little sad... We were supposed to be smack-dab right in the middle of an Olympic Games right now, but as it is, we're so late, the Paralympics are starting. Still, if you've been staying with us, maybe your Olympic Spirit was dragged out a little further by our recent exercise in the frivilous, the 1st Infinite Wars Olympic Games. To make up for the absence of team sports, here we have a spotlight on the back catalogue of team battles!


Once you're done imagining watching the above slow motion scene put to an instrumental of Berlin's Take My Breath Away; you might like to check out the gold standard catalogue for superhumans and martial artists! Otherwise, just wait around for some real updates.

Thunderbolts #1 (April 1997)
"Justice..." Busiek/Bagley
Though their battle with the Hulk proved less than successful, the world has come to appreciate and accept the super-team called Thunderbolts! Their efforts come in a time when the apparent deaths of the Avengers and Fantastic Four leave a gaping hole in the superhero community, but behind their heroics lies a dark secret!

When the Thunderbolts are called into battle against an out-of-control Wrecking Crew, they've got all the edge they need, intimately familiar with their opponent's moves. Why? Because their leader is not who he seems, and their goals are quite the opposite of saving humanity.

Thunderbolts? You can call them: The Masters of Evil!

New Invaders #1 (October 2004)
"To End All Wars" Jacobsen/Smith
With Atlantis pledged to a sovereign alliance with Mazikhandar; Namor and the Invaders call in the aid of an old friend in the interest of protecting the oil rich nation, and expanding their battle with the villainous Axis Mundi!

The original Human Torch, Jim Hammond, joins the team in an alliance that sees the Invaders become an army thanks to the recruitment of Hammond's V-Battalion; a team comprised of descendants of Second World War veterans!
Hammond and his Battalion soon find they've reached the frontline when their transport is attacked by synthetic agents of the Axis Mundi - the Pterrorists! Will the insectoid swarm prove too poweful for these vintage heroes, or are they the perfect disposable threat for the old guard to work-out the rust of battle? The story starts here!

JSA #65 (November 2004)
"Out of Time" Johns/Kramer
Having rescued the mind and body of Sandy Hawkins, the Justice Society of America welcome their former chairman back to the fold. The one-time sidekick of the Sandman has an opportunity to return to action when Solomon Grundy turns up in Central Park, running amok.

Sand takes control of the fight when the rest of the JSA are struggling, using his modified gas gun and strange powers over sendimentary to withstand the behemoth's muscle bound assault, and send it back in the form of a focused seismic wave.

The battle is but the calm before the storm!
Sand and the Justice Society are unwittingly observed from afar by the time travelling menace called Degaton, whose plans for the JSA's past are far more destructive than even Grundy!

JLA: Classified #3 (March 2005)
"Seconds To Go" Morrison/McGuinness
Having failed to lead a robotic Justice League against Gorrila Grodd and his army of super-apes; Batman finds himself taken hostage by Grodd and the Ultramarine Corps, who are under Grodd's control. Foreseeing the danger, Batman sends The Knight's sidekick, Squire, to seek out the JLA, who are trapped in the infant universe of Qwewq.

The League finally arrive in Congo to join Batman in the battle against the super-intelligent gorilla and his mysterious benefactor, the matured personification of Qwewq, Neh-Buh-Loh!

It's superhero smackdown at it's most deadly as the rest of the League struggle to counteract the lethal forces of the Ultramarine Corps, while Superman does battle with the cosmic powers of Nebula Man!

Green Lantern #24 (December 2007)
"Home Invasion" Johns/Reis
Sinestro and his Corps of fear-wielding yellow lanterns has emerged from hiding in the anti-matter universe of Qward, and their plans prove very different to what is expected.

Leaving Oa to the Green Lanterns; Sinestro leads the Anti-Monitor and his men to Earth, where cosmic imbalances leave an multi-dimensional weakness exposed to attack.

As terrifying as the Anti-Monitor's plans to destroy the matter universe to inheret the remains may be, Hal Jordan has far bigger concerns! Kyle Rayner has fallen to the taint of Parallax, and in Coast City, he's about ready to have a little fun with Hal's brother and his family. Never cross a cop!

SMASH HITS: TISM


TISM - Greg! The Stop Sign (1995)
August is almost-Olympics month on the Infinite Wars! To reflect the spirit of the games the Smash Hits will be dedicated to artists from around the world! Artists like Australian pop-clash sattirists, TISM!

Supposedly the Smash Hits all have something to do with comics, or at the very least, overlapping pop culture. So, why TISM?

As you might imagine, the struggles for significance championed by independent publishers in American comics is multiplied for those largely unsupported artists in the diminutive Australian comics scene. Still, through the mid-nineties, the boom that was experienced by the American industry found it's way to the strong comics culture down under. The comics boom, and the culturally penetrating Greg! The Stop Sign, facilitated the unlikeliest of works in Mark Sexton's 1995 TISM comics, published by Aaargh! Studios.

The comics touched on a similar brand of antagonism that characterises TISM's [This Is Serious, Mum] pseudo-performance art, and elaborated on the mysterious band's history.

Greg! The Stop Sign borrows joyous pop riffs from the Beach Boys, whilst parodying a government sponsored road safety awareness campaign, which featured television adverts punctuated by the titular exclamation. While not the most popular, or well liked groups, TISM present an unmistakably Australian irreverance that casts a very familiar, unglamorous reflection of Australian urban life in the 90s, rarely seen in international media.

Though not explicitly connected to the TISM comic, it's a nice enough entry into our international Smash Hits Olympics. Nice, in a slightly mean spirited way, at least.

QUEEN AYNOS versus SONYA BLADE
Kombat Zones (Malibu/Midway)
Where: Mortal Kombat: Blood & Thunder #4 When: October 1994 Why: Charles Marshall How: Patrick Rolo

The Story So Far...
Once every generation an ancient martial arts tournament gathers the greatest warriors to defend the Earthrealm from the invading forces of Outworld. This dark dimension is ruled by the tyrant emperor, Shao Kahn, whose insatiable apetite for conquest seems endless.

The sorcerer, Shang Tsung, ensures the presence of a variety of warriors at the tenth, and potentially final, Mortal Kombat tournament, luring many with opportunities of personal glory and vengeance before their battle with reigning champion, Goro. Sonya Blade is one such fighter, whose pursuit of underworld figure, Kano, sees her boldly storming the vessel to Shang Tsung's island.

There, she encounters Liu Kang and Johnny Cage; other warriors chosen to defend Earthrealm by Tsung and the protectoral god of Earth, Raiden.
Shortly after the tournament begins, Shang Tsung's plans for victory see him ambushing the various warriors of Earth, all part of a plot to unlock the mystical powers of an ancient book called the Tao Te Zhan. This breach of protocol allows Raiden to interfere on the benefit of his warriors, allowing them to escape into the wastelands of Outworld.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Johnny Cage 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Sonya Blade 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Power: Sonya Blade 4 (Arsenal)


- 1992's Mortal Kombat established many new tropes in the one-on-one beat 'em up fighting genre. Among it's popular influences on the vernacular was the concept of the "mirror match," an attempt to lend some assemblence of logic to the game's potential to pit the same fighter against themselves in combat. While subsequent games dropped the specific event, the first boasted a mirror match in the final stages of it's arcade tournament ladder.

Malibu's licensed comics incorporated the mirror match concept into it's narrative version of the Mortal Kombat story.
Queen Aynos is a none-too-subtle mirror of Sonya Blade, a tribal queen of Outworld who not only possesses many of the same abilities, but even dresses identical to the Special Forces fighter. She rules over a race of purple troll-like warriors.

- Lieutenant Sonya Blade is a dedicated member of an American Special Forces unit tasked with dismantling the ancient criminal organization, the Black Dragon clan. This mission becomes Sonya's sole driving purpose when Kano, leader of the clan, is responsible for the murder of her partner and several other ambushed operatives with the Special Forces. Her pursuit leads her to take chase onto the Nethership, which ferrys warriors to the hidden island of Shang Tsung, where mortals do battle to defend the Earth from the forces of Outworld.

Thus, Sonya is dragged into a battle not only for revenge, but for the fate of the world. Joining Johnny Cage, and eventual tournament winner, Liu Kang; Sonya becomes embroiled with Earth's chosen warriors, to the point of being captured by Shao Kahn's forces when Shang Tsung's island crumbles after his defeat.
The event forces a brief alliance with Kano and familiarizes Sonya with the ream of Outworld, which, upon her rescue, would become the domain of her and her partner, Jax, as founding members of the secret government exploratory division, the Outer World Investigation Agency.

Sonya is a highly trained operative of the Special Forces, skilled in the martial arts and tactical procedures of urban warfare and hand-to-hand combat. Her role with the military and OIA grants her access to an arsenal of weaponry, as well as her own ability to harness her chi to inflict energy based attacks.

Math: Sonya Blade Ranking: Sonya Blade (#92)

What Went Down...
Deviating substantially from the established canon of the brand; Malibu's Mortal Kombat tournament is halted after the disappearance of Goro, and the escape of the briefly entrapped Earthrealm warriors. Scattered across Outworld in their escape by Raiden, the fighters attempt to regroup and find their way home.

Stumbling across the wastelands of Outworld, Johnny Cage comes across a small village ruled by a warrior Queen identical to Sonya Blade. When Cage makes the mistake of kissing the Queen, she launches an assault on the unsuspecting actor, but he soon finds himself rescued by the real deal.

Sonya attracts the attentions of Queen Aynos with a rock and confronts her mirror head-on. The two share a brief exchange of words, before the Queen launches the first attack, striking with a kick that Sonya promptly blocks.

The Special Forces trained fighter lets her fist provide the reply, springing out of the defensive into a stiff right hook. She ducks a roundhouse kick and takes full advantage, striking her embattled doppelganger in the back of the skull.

A charged kick to the head finishes Queen Aynos off, prompting her to call the aid of her tribal warriors. Numerical advantage lets the purple men take Sonya and Johnny Cage hostages, positioned to suffer a kiss of death energy ball from their Queen. Cage and Blade prove agile enough to evade their captors and leap free, leaving the blast to decimate Aynos' own forces!

Alone against the combined might of the Earth warriors, the Queen knows her fate, seeing it come in the form of a double teamed flying kick!
With the Queen defeated, the two fighters are able to deduce their locale, no longer on Shang Tsung's island as they had believed. Together, they trek into the unknown! "... I'd say that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

The Hammer...
Johnny Cage picks up the assist, but in this mirror match, the winner is Sonya Blade!
For those playing along at home, there are still a couple of other battles from this issue that will be revisited sometime in the future as part of another quick fix megamix!

By the wonders of being extremely late, you'll probably have already read our brief MKvsDCU one-on-one with Jimmy Palmiotti! For those of you still chomping at the bit for more MKvsDCU, we've got another Q&A discussion coming up, this time with the writers behind the MK portions of the game! So stay tuned!

If you've recently come out of a coma, or for some reason, aren't a regular reader of the Infinite Wars, you might like to know that November will see the release of the shock crossover video game - Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe.
Over the past few months we've done our darndest to help broker an understanding between the two universes, and if you're still unsure, you can check back through our plethora of fantasy match-ups: rounds one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. If that isn't enough for you, there's also our bonus round addendum posts that feature one, two, three, and four rounds of extra glimpses into the DCU, and the special decyphering of clues that may or may not have done well to allude to the cast of the DC roster.

Top 25 Femme Fatales
#1 Invisible Woman (Marvel)
#2 Catwoman (DC)
#3 Storm (Marvel)
#4 Rogue (Marvel)
#5 Wonder Woman (DC)
#6 Wasp (Marvel)
#7 Zatanna (DC)
#8 Elektra (Marvel)
#9 Kitty Pryde (Marvel)
#10 Hawkgirl (DC)
#11 Tara (Marvel)
#12 Spitfire (Marvel)
#13 Hellcat (Marvel)
#14 R. Mika (Capcom)
#15 Phoenix (Marvel)
#16 Black Cat (Marvel)
#17 Black Canary (DC)
#18 Sonya Blade (Midway)
#19 Black Widow (Marvel)
#20 Lyja (Marvel)
#21 Tabitha Stevens (Marvel)
#22 She-Thing (Marvel)
#23 Powergirl (DC)
#24 Stargirl (DC)
#25 Sayd (DC)Today our focus is on Sonya Blade, a character whose course as an iconic MK female has been tumultuous, to say the least. Sonya's inclusion in MKvsDCU has been well received, but the ebbing flow of perception within the fanbase hasn't always looked as favourably, as is now being felt by her male counterpart, Jax.

As the only female presence in the original 1992 game; Sonya carried less responsibility as a female icon, and more as the representation of the genre stalwart of a cop seeking revenge for the death of a partner.
It was probably this incidental treatment of gender that made Sonya and instantly accessible and admirable inclusion into the tradition of the gaming female that was jump started by characters like Chun-Li.

Sonya's personal vendetta against Kano successfully transitioned to the big screen when Bridgette Wilson took up the role for 1995's, Mortal Kombat.
It was arguably here that the attitude of the character was solidified in a film that's still regarded by many as one of the greatest representations of a game-to-movie adaptation. The success of the film and characterization of Sonya, however, was not without it's drawbacks.

The mid-nineties had not yet seen the violent franchise fully develop it's ironic relationship with death, prompting widespread speculation (and petitioning) for the character's death circa Mortal Kombat 4. The heart of the issue: a stagnant plotline that had carried from the apparently dead Kano, to new character, Jarek.

Initially one of the least popular characters in arcades; Sonya was pushed aside for the first Mortal Kombat sequel, appearing only as a cameo character shackled in one of the arena backgrounds along with arch-rival, Kano.
Ironically, despite being one the only original character not to return playable in the sequel - Sonya's demotion to cameo sponsored a fever pitched interest in the character which made her one of the first confirmed for 1995's, Mortal Kombat 3.

The drop off came with the fourth instalment of the series and the subsequent Special Forces spin-off exclusive to the Playstation, which, due to extenuating circumstances, was conceptually aborted, leaving Jax to inherit much of the story that would have been shared with, or exclusive to, Sonya.

This redundancy of plot, particularly once shared between the two law enforcement protagonists, was understandably responsible for a negative shift in the perception of Sonya as a character. While Jax established new key plot and rivalries with 2002's relaunch title, Deadly Alliance; Sonya was still to be identified by her interchangable rivalries with criminals.

If any criticisms can be made of MKvsDCU as the first step into this generation of gaming, it's the continued stagnancy of the characters and their development.
2006's much maligned compilation game, Armageddon, hampered the individual progress of plotlines, but the central story deserves credit for grafting a new era onto the adventures of the Special Forces. This renewed potential came from the expansion of Sektor as a villain, who now represents a Matrix-esque threat of technological ego with his expanding army of Tekunin cybernetic warriors.

MKvsDCU - despite being removed from and having no known interactions with the central canon - draws specific inspiration from the unversally praised MKII era of the series. In doing so it attempts to match-up with the broad iconography of the DC characters, who will enter the game with the weight of their long printed histories, but not with any specific frame of reference. One wonders if this isn't a discredit to the MK portion of the game, which does not have the dense characterization that implies a continuity-free appearance for the licensed characters.

MKvsDCU essentially takes place on MK's home turf, and after Armageddon's vague conclusion, the opportunity to insert an unlikely crossover into the central plot was better than ever. We'll be asking the MK team what their motivations were for removing the game, but one assumes the meta response would simply be that it's conventional wisdom. The constraints of licensed properties means lasting effects from crossover stories are rare, but not without example.

Comics fans can look to crossovers like the original Spawn/Batman for a very specific model that might have done more for the MK franchise. In the hellacious meeting, a batarang lodged in Spawn's face led to a new instalment in the character's iconography, leading to the affectionately known shoestring face.

Future references to Superman or Batman might be unlikely, but the opportunity to develop the MK story and characters remains. Characters could very naturally develop through the usual channels of individual arcade endings, if not vague elements from the DC crossover story mode. Specifics aside, even interactions with DC's well established criminal underworld (ie; Gotham rogues) might have been the perfect opportunity to develop reference to Sonya as a character, broadening her associations beyond Kano and comparable facsimiles.

Needless to say, Sonya's brief appearances in the Malibu comics did very little to expand appreciation of the character. Comics will be another subject we breach when the Infinite Wars goes one-on-one with the MK team! In the mean time, we look forward to new reveals from the game, and the "80% of the game" we have no knowledge of!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 3

Can't stand the thought of missing out on Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe upon release? Amazon have the game available for pre-order, or, if you fancy a John Tobias comic, t-shirt, and cell, you can pre-order the Kollector's Edition for either Playstation 3 or Xbox 360. Hey, by using links provided on the Infinite Wars, you help sponsor future kombat, like the other MK reviews you'll find in the Secret Archives! Outstanding!

IN STORES: AUGUST 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.

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...
JUN080210 ACTION COMICS #868 $2.99
JUN084181 ATOMIC ROBO DOGS OF WAR #1 (OF 5) $2.95
MAY080159 BATMAN #679 RIP $2.99
JUN080205 BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #20 $2.99
JUN082363 CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI 13 #4 SI $2.99
JUN080218 CHECKMATE #29 $2.99
MAY082270 FANTASTIC FOUR #559 $2.99
JUN080179 FINAL CRISIS REVELATIONS #1 (OF 5) $3.99
APR082195 FIREBREATHER SERIES #2 $2.99
JUN082222 FRANK FRAZETTAS DRACULA MEETS THE WOLF-MAN $3.99
JUN080086 GOON #27 $2.99
JUN080223 GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #11 $2.99
JUN082401 PUNISHER #60 (MR) $2.99
JUN082346 SECRET INVASION #5 (OF 8) SI $3.99
JUN082354 SECRET INVASION THOR #1 (OF 3) SI $2.99
JUN082355 SECRET INVASION X-MEN #1 (OF 4) SI $2.99
JUN080176 TRINITY #11 $2.99
JUN080232 WONDER WOMAN #23 $2.99

The Deep Dish...
- JUN080263 BATMAN STRIKES #48 $2.25
With a plot dangerously similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger's schemes in the 1997 flop, Batman and Robin; this issue of The Batman Strikes! isn't going out of it's way to make friends!
Based on the current cartoon series which seems to be growing disturbingly popular with this generation's youth; the issue starts on the back foot, associated with the series' seperatist interpretations of many classic Batman characters.
For it's many frustrating faults, it's fair to say there's a handful of positives to be found in the edgy new(ish) toon, making select outings with the comic series worth a look. All of this is really just a long way of saying: Green Lantern and Batman teaming up to stop Mr. Freeze's sub-zero satellite sounds like a lot of fun!

- JUN080216 BOOSTER GOLD #11 $2.99
Chuck Dixon steps into a pretty big shadow when he takes on the fan wank that is Booster Gold (title). For all intents and purposes this sounds like a very fun issue that dives, once again, into the history of the Bat-corner of the DCU. Under ordinary circumstances I would get a huge kick out of this, but in this modern age of internet and instant gratification, I find my tolerance for overblown internet memes growing increasingly minor. Adopting morts in an ironic dose of tongue-in-cheek humor is always going to have it's place, but with so many blogs doing it these days, it just hasn't the same impact.
I don't want to be a curmudgeon. Booster Gold undercover as Killer Moth to fix a glitch in the timestream is nice enough. It's just that I'm getting a headache from all the involuntary eye rolling. And just to prove I don't hate Killer Moth or fun: Appreciate and Preserve!

- JUN080080 BPRD THE WARNING #2 (OF 5) $2.99
- JUN080081 HELLBOY THE CROOKED MAN #2 (OF 3) $2.99
Fans of the film might be encouraged to check out the latest Hellboy mini-series, but if you enjoyed new inclusions like Johann Kraus, BPRD might be more to the flavour you're seeking. While the hornless Hellboy rarely appears, if at all, don't let the absence of the star fool you into thinking the BPRD series are B-tier material. Over the past year a regular release schedule has seen some great stories unfold in a familiar - but different - Mignola style!

- JUN080220 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #27 $2.99
Drop the boy, drop the boy! I'm the man, yes I am!
Whoops! Note-to-self: Luke Ross on pencils. Luke Ross!
This one sounds like a whole lot of foreshadowing as Peter Tomasi brings us the grand opening of a new Warrior bar, and warnings from beyond the grave! Saarek, a Green Lantern who can hear the dead, seems to think the passed are getting restless -- a precursor to Blackest Night and the promised 2009 introduction of the undead Black Lanterns, to be sure! Can't wait!

- JUN082335 LAST DEFENDERS #6 (OF 6) $2.99
Please, please, please, please remember to protect the trademark, Marvel!
I don't think I could bare the thought of a Marvel Universe without any ragtag team-ups in their future! Come on! The Defenders are an institution, people! This cannot be the last of it!

- JUN082338 MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK #14 $2.99
The Marvel Adventures office are back on track with classic comics, this time pitting the incredible Hulk against a classic Fantastic Four nemesis! No problem, right? Wrong!!!
Everybody knows the Hulk gets his strength from his mindless rages, but when he's sucked into the Microverse, he'll hope that news hasn't travelled too far! Hulk's going up against the Psycho-Man, a man who can manipulate his emotions and take away his anger! Uh-oh!

- JUN082339 MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #42 $2.99
Not quite getting enough out of your Marvel Adventures stack?
How about another serve of classic conundrums as Spidey finds himself in a tangle between the Black Cat and Puma! Those still reeling from the outrage of Brand New Day can find some measure of calm in the classic antics of the Marvel Adventures books!

- JUN082381 PUNISHER KILLS MARVEL UNIVERSE $4.99
What part of Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe don't you understand?

- JUN082353 SECRET INVASION INHUMANS #1 (OF 4) SI $2.99
I don't know what the creative team of Joe Pokaski and Tom Raney does for you, but even if you're finding yourself bored to tears with Secret Invasion, this four-issue mini might be worth checking out. The Inhumans aren't especially inviting as stars of a series, but each series has a way of being a bit of a hidden gem, so you might like to get in early on this one!
We learnt of Black Bolt's replacement in the pages of New Avengers: Illuminati, but now the hunt is on to discover the true whereabouts of the Inhuman monarch! If he turns up dead, I wonder if this means Medusa might think about checking out what Captain Britain has to offer... Hey, why not? Plundering Alex Ross alternate Earths has worked out pretty good for DC!


Know Your Trade...
JUN084467 BOYS OF STEEL THE CREATORS OF SUPERMAN YR HC $16.99
APR084083 JUDGE DREDD COMPLETE CASE FILES TP VOL 10 $31.00
MAR080185 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL HC VOL 02 $24.99
JUN082427 MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK TP VOL 03 STRONGEST DIGEST $7.99
MAY080220 MILLENNIUM TP $19.99
JUN082442 NEW X-MEN BY MORRISON ULTIMATE COLL TP BOOK 02 $34.99
MAY080207 ROBIN YEAR ONE TP NEW PTG $14.99
JUN082443 SPIDER-MAN TP KRAVENS LAST HUNT $14.99
JUN082422 THUNDERBOLTS BY ELLIS PREM HC VOL 02 CAGED ANGELS $19.99