SHIPPING LIST: APRIL 21, 2010
Disclaimer: 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.

The Independents...
FEB100677 ARCHIE #608 (NOTE PRICE) $2.99
JAN100999 ART OF TONY HARRIS ART & SKULLDUGGERY HC S/N ED (IDW) $79.99
FEB100683 BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #180 $3.99
FEB100017 DEVIL #3 (OF 4) $3.50
JAN101145 DRAGONBALL Z VIZBIG ED GN VOL 07 $17.99
DEC090405 ELEPHANTMEN #25 $3.50
FEB100333 IMAGE FIRSTS GIRLS #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB100332 IMAGE FIRSTS WITCHBLADE #1 (MR) $1.00
NOV090350 INVINCIBLE HC VOL 05 ULTIMATE COLL (RES) $34.99
FEB092456 JINGLE BELLE SANTA CLAUS VS FRANKENSTEIN SGN $14.99
FEB100684 JUGHEAD AND FRIENDS DIGEST #37 $2.69
JAN101060 PHANTOM GHOST WHO WALKS #9 $3.99 [learn more @ChronicleChamber.com]
FEB100787 RASL TP VOL 02 FIRE OF ST GEORGE $15.00
NOV090062 SHINJUKU HC $29.99
FEB101101 STREET FIGHTER LEGENDS IBUKI #2 (OF 4) A CVR DOGAN $3.95
FEB101024 TALES OF TMNT #69 $3.25
JAN101071 TICK NEW SERIES #3 $4.95
FEB101074 WWE HEROES #2 $3.99

The Corporates...
FEB100137 BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #11 $3.99
FEB100217 BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #15 $2.50
FEB100496 DEATHLOK #6 (OF 7) $3.99
FEB100453 FIRESTAR #1 $3.99
FEB100492 HERCULES FALL OF AN AVENGER #2 (OF 2) $3.99
FEB100203 HUMAN TARGET #1 NEW PTG $1.00
FEB100126 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #44 $3.99
FEB100172 POWER GIRL #11 $2.99
FEB100439 SIEGE SPIDER-MAN #1 $2.99
FEB100156 SPIRIT #1 $3.99

The Spotlight...
- FEB100478 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #628 $3.99
I have a great affection for the late eighties David Michelinie/Erik Larsen run of Amazing Spider-man (where Spidey briefly went cosmic with the powers of Uni-Power), so any allusion to Captain Universe and Spidey usually gets my attention. Alas, the last issue might've been the first true clunker delivered to the weekly series since The Gauntlet began a flowing fresh perspective on the title. It would take a mammoth effort to justify Something Can Stop the Juggernaut as a three-part purchase, but presumably this issue will at least reveal the face behind the Captain Universe power and what beef they've got with ol' jugg-head.

- FEB100128 BLACKEST NIGHT DIRECTORS CUT $5.99
Ordinarily I'd be very cynical about the prospects of these second-release type Director's Cut book, but for the princely sum of $5.99, it seems readers will be privvy to eighty-pages of all new content, as opposed to the standard reprint with extras! $5.99 is a pretty hefty price to put on a book of this nature and despite being interested, I can't help but get the sense this is a rare blatant example of DC milking a property for the sake of milking it. Not too long ago 80-page giants were a steal from DC at $1 -- with FCBD looming, it seems like a missed opportunity not to offer this at a more reasonable offer, perhaps with a few Brightest Day teases in the back. A sentiment that Brightest Day #0 shared by not reprising the FCBD spot held by Blackest Night #0.

If nothing else, fans of Blackest Night will probably have every reason to pick this up. There're bound to be a few tasty morcels of cut material and details untouched by the books. Anyone who found they didn't absorb the subtlties of the story might also enjoy commentary by Geoff Johns and co, provided they're willing to pay for something that's often featured freely online.

- FEB100118 GREEN LANTERN #53 (BRIGHTEST DAY) $2.99
The scions of the spectrum will be sticking around, it seems, as the self-appointed "New Guardians" from Blackest Night unite in their efforts to presumably protect the recently revealed centre-of-the-universe, Earth, and recapture the White Lantern. While some are bound to feel fatigued by the presence of spillover from the concluded Blackest Night plot, I find it pleasing that these characters haven't become defined by the storyline that canonized them. It should be very interesting to see how Atrocitus, Larfleeze, Saint Walker and Indigo-1 grow as individual properties, and how Carol Ferris is intergrated into the superherosphere after being the girlfriend-cum-occasional-villain-of-the-week! I'm looking forward to seeing things spin-off into, perhaps, a slightly less encompassing direction!

- FEB100550 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #25 $2.99
- FEB100553 NOVA #36 $2.99
Back in 2006, during Annihilation, it was a bit of a surprise to see Thanos finally bite the big one, but I think we all knew his reunion with beloved Lady Death would be short lived. It's a bittersweet return if, like me, you're still very soured by the frivilous use of death in modern comics. Still, much like Blackest Night justified has been able to justify certain resurrections through thoughtful and well construct plotpoints, I would expect the same will emerge here when the cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe enters it's next epic, The Thanos Imperative. While they admittedly haven't quite held my attentions since the '06 reboot of cosmic Marvel comics, Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning have proven themselves up to the task of supporting this once grossly neglected collection of properties.

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Know Your Trade...
SEP090163 ABSOLUTE GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH HC $75.00
JAN100999 ART OF TONY HARRIS ART & SKULLDUGGERY HC S/N ED (IDW) $79.99
JAN100301 CRISIS ON MULTIPLE EARTHS TP VOL 05 $19.99
JAN101145 DRAGONBALL Z VIZBIG ED GN VOL 07 $17.99
FEB100185 GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH TP NEW EDITION (RES) $14.99
NOV090350 INVINCIBLE HC VOL 05 ULTIMATE COLL (RES) $34.99
FEB092456 JINGLE BELLE SANTA CLAUS VS FRANKENSTEIN SGN $14.99
FEB100620 PUNISHER DEAD END TP $16.99
FEB100787 RASL TP VOL 02 FIRE OF ST GEORGE $15.00
JAN100362 SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE TP VOL 08 $19.99
NOV090062 SHINJUKU HC $29.99
JAN100303 SHOWCASE PRESENTS DIAL H FOR HERO TP $9.99
FEB100622 THUNDERBOLTS TP WIDOWMAKER $14.99
DEC090285 Y THE LAST MAN DELUXE EDITION HC VOL 03 (MR) $29.99

Hero of the Week 2010 #15: Ryu

RYU (Capcom) (2009)
Real Name: Ryu
First Appearance: Street Fighter (August, 1987)
Group Affiliation: Gouken Dojo
Gaming Credentials: Street Fighter (1987); Street Fighter II (1991); Super Street Fighter II (1994); Street Fighter: The Movie (1995); Street Fighter Alpha (1996); X-Men vs Street Fighter (1996); Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo (1996); Pocket Fighter (1997); Street Fighter Alpha 3 (1998); Street Fighter III: Third Strike (1999); Street Fighter EX3 (2000); Capcom vs SNK 2 (2001); Marvel vs Capcom 2 (2002); Capcom Fighting Evolution (2004); Namco x Capcom (2005); Street Fighter IV (2009); Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (2009); Tatsunoko vs Capcom (2009); Super Street Fighter IV (2010); Marvel vs Capcom 3 (TBR/2010)
Infinite Wars Cumulative Ranking: #19

It's been a busy few years for the wandering world warrior called Ryu, but then, it's been a busy few decades too, hasn't it? You might have been led to believe the fighting spirit had left Ryu and his Street Fighter fellows at the turn of the century, but with arcade tangents like Capcom vs SNK 2 (2001) and Marvel vs Capcom 2 (2002) garnering huge followings, it's retroactively safe to say Street Fighter never truly went away. Things certainly got quiet for a while there, though.

2008 gave us the news many had been waiting a decade for -- Street Fighter IV!
With it has come a parabolic swing that finished the double-ohs with the upward momentum of the early nineties! In truth, Street Fighter IV was a follow-up announcement to the retro revival of Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, but with comic book art studio UDON taking so long to complete their newly drawn HD sprite artwork, the franchise return led like their Japanense posterboy, with the power play of a finishing blow -- hadouken!

Ryu gathers his ki for a hadouken fireball in Street Fighter IV!

With SFIV has come a veritable torrent of titles, including a brand new crossover spectacle with the animé studio responsible for Gatchaman, Casshern, and Tekkaman -- Tatsunoko vs Capcom. That won't be the last fight Capcom picks with another company in this new era, but before we look toward the future, another fight is concluding...

For seven years, UDON have been the proprieters of the Street Fighter license, allowing them to not only produce comic books based on the popular fighting franchise, but also branch out as their own autonomous publishing group, UDON Comics, now responsible for handling adaptations of various Capcom brands (Rival Schools, Darkstalkers, Final Fight).

After publishing various incarnations of their Street Fighter series independently and through Image Comics, UDON arrived at the 2008 launch of the twelve-issue maxi-series, Street Fighter II Turbo. This was the summit of their various plotlines leading to their version of the official Street Fighter II tournament, which was summarized with elimination brackets I discussed in a previous blog. With the tournament beginning in issue #8, it's been a rapidfire of eliminations as UDON put a hint of plot to the established facts of the games, culminating in the Super Street Fighter II Turbo-inspired defeat of Bison at the hands of an uninvited Akuma -- and the subsequent confrontation between he and Ryu.

As has been the case all along, I struggle to offer any definite recommendation for the series. These comics are an indulgence that the average reader of the medium would not be especially interested in, lacking the fundamental attention to detail that most comics take for granted. As evidenced by the long awaited return of Akuma, the series has contained a string of pandering moments that fans of the Street Fighter characters and story would greatly appreciate, but without the focus or intent of conventional plotting or characterization. They come a distant second to the elaborative martial arts adventure and philosophy of Masahiko Nakahira's manga stories, Street Fighter Alpha and Street Fighter III: Ryu Final. Good, but not great. Faithful to the material and probably only for the diehard fan.

Currently, UDON are publishing a four-issue mini-series, the third in their Legends deviations which have included tales starring Sakura and Chun-Li, and now unleash SFIII high school hijinks in Street Fighter Legends: Ibuki. It comes as the group's first series-centric elaboration of the infamous Street Fighter III characters and canon, which was originally slated for it's own series, but has since become slightly less certain amidst delays. This makes Street Fighter II Turbo's conclusion all the more worthy of acknowledgment as UDON close the most significant chapter in their adaptation of the Street Fighter canon. The comic book exploits don't end there, of course...

Being generally busy has allowed me to write this HOTW feature up late to include the trailer of the long speculated and now officially announced sequel, Marvel vs Capcom 3!

In hindsight, it probably isn't all that shocking, given Marvel's previously announced animation deal with Tatsunoko, and the cancellation of their relationship with EA [during production of a now aborted sequel to Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects]. Did those factors have a part to play? Hey, who cares?! Marvel vs Capcom 3 is on the way to home consoles, and is already promising a roster of characters that will surprise fans in number, and perhaps even in scope of choice. Capcom have, afterall, established a precedent of unusual draftees from the Marvel side (Shuma-Gorath, anyone?).

It's going to be a very exciting few months as fans play the guessing game based on silhouettes revealed in promotional artwork. Deadpool and Captain America are a sure thing. Is that Thor? Could we really expect Super-Skrull to make the line-up, or are pointy ears a fake-out for Green Goblin, or some other unanticipated choice? With a hint of anticipation for this eventuality, I took a look at some of the characters that never made it into the MvC line-up in a blog back in 2009. I suspect, however, that there'll be more blogging to come. What fun!

Iron Man, Wolverine, Hulk, Chris Redfield, Morrigan, and Ryu, are all already confirmed. Which is a perfect reason, along with Super Street Fighter IV and the Street Fighter II Turbo comic book, to make Ryu our Hero of the Week!

<< Hero of the Week 04/24: Iron Man       [Home]       Hero of the Week 04/11: Aquaman >>

Originally posted: http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9027568

SHIPPING LIST: APRIL 14, 2010
Disclaimer: 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.

The Independents...
FEB100742 ANCHOR #7 $3.99
FEB100680 ARCHIE DIGEST #263 $2.69
FEB100679 ARCHIE NEW LOOK SERIES TP VOL 04 MY FATHERS BETRAYAL $10.95
JAN101086 ATOMIC ROBO REVENGE O/T VAMPIRE DIMENSION #2 (OF 4) $3.50
FEB100682 BETTY & VERONICA #247 $2.99
FEB100045 BPRD KING OF FEAR #4 (OF 5) $2.99
FEB100744 COLD SPACE #1 $3.99
NOV090376 EXISTENCE 3.0 #3 (OF 4) (MR) $3.50
OCT090420 FALL OUT TOY WORKS #4 (OF 5) $3.99
JAN100460 FORGETLESS #4 (OF 5) (MR) $3.50
FEB100395 GOD COMPLEX #5 $2.99
OCT090109 GUNSMITH CATS BURST TP VOL 05 (MR) $12.99
FEB100009 HELLCYON #1 (OF 4) $3.50
FEB100758 IRREDEEMABLE SP #1 $3.99
FEB100331 IMAGE FIRSTS AGE OF BRONZE #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB100330 IMAGE FIRSTS SAVAGE DRAGON #1 (MR) $1.00
DEC090974 JUDGE DREDD RESTRICTED FILES TP VOL 01 $32.99
FEB100959 KILL SHAKESPEARE #1 $3.99
JAN101055 PHANTOM CAPTAIN ACTION #1 (OF 2) ART THIBERT CVR A $3.99
FEB100401 SAVAGE DRAGON #159 $3.50
FEB101235 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 36 $12.95
FEB100990 WEEKLY WORLD NEWS #4 $3.99

The Corporates...
FEB100150 ACTION COMICS #888 $3.99
FEB100501 DAREDEVIL #506 $2.99
FEB100154 DOC SAVAGE #1 $3.99
FEB100205 EX MACHINA #1 NEW PTG $1.00
FEB100582 PUNISHERMAX #6 (MR) $3.99
FEB100437 SIEGE LOKI #1 $2.99
FEB100485 SPIDER-MAN ORIGIN OF HUNTER #1 $3.99
FEB100530 SUPER HEROES #1 $3.99
FEB100271 UNWRITTEN #12 (MR) $2.99
FEB100577 X-FACTOR FOREVER #2 $3.99

The Spotlight...
- FEB100134 BATMAN #698 $2.99
With the long-running Black Mask mystery concluded, Tony Daniel looks to be moving on to smaller fare before the extravaganza of Batman #700. As mentioned previously, I have such a hard time getting behind the aesthetics of Daniels' work, which certainly has the gritty zing of a good Batman book, but lacks focus and design in it's visuals, and thorough writing in it's script. Even so, I find myself somewhat intrigued by the prospect of what I assume is a two-part Riddler story before the milestone. That intrigue comes with a conditional consideration for what Paul Dini has done with the Riddler character, transforming him in Detective Comics and Gotham City Sirens into an engaging and all together likeable sleuth. Here's hoping Daniels' nineties-style pencils only give cover-shots of Riddler the illusion of being something far less interesting than the reserved mentallist he has become.

- FEB100448 BLACK WIDOW #1 HA $3.99
As a none-too-subtle tie-in to the upcoming Iron Man 2 film sequel, it's tough not to be cynical about this launch. One of a fistful of titles baring Iron Man on the cover; Black Widow has perhaps the most potential for merit, but I wonder if that will appear on the page. Black Widow has spent the best part of the last few years acting as a peripheral character, reflected in our Eurohero Contest poll last year, where Black Widow scored a meager 2% of the votes below Morbius, Lilith, and Batroc. The thing that might interest me the most about this title is observing how the film effects the reception and popularity of the character over a long period of time. I'm predicting a short term investment, but you never know!

- FEB100116 BRIGHTEST DAY #0 $3.99
With some of their top titles sticking to $2.99 throughout the last couple of years, you can't accuse DC of rampant price gouging. Still, when you consider that "zero" issues usually serve as a primer to actual stories, it's a big ask to have us slide straight out of Blackest Night into a $3.99 overblown preview book. Particularly given that Blackest Night had such a successful start with a Free Comic Book Day #0! The lure will almost certainly be too much to overcome for consumers that bumped Blackest Night to the top of the monthly sales charts, but buyer beware. I suspect we might get a bit more than the teasing bait of the FCBD Blackest Night issue, but I wouldn't expect the pieces of the puzzle to be laid out just yet.

- FEB100123 FLASH #1 $3.99
Quite possibly the biggest release of the week; Flash returns to publication after what has been a garbled and confused few years of character-swapping and limbo. Barry Allen is our resident Flash in this bright new day, and after starring in Flash: Rebirth and Blackest Night, it's his first opportunity to finally get back to business as usual! I for one will be pleased just to know a Flash book is on shelves monthly after such a long hiatus! Fingers crossed Geoff Johns (with exciting new artwork by Francis Manapaul) comes out of the starting gates suitably fast with the Scarlet Speedster, because as much as a slow-build is appreciated, it's time for a post-event cleansing that can only come with quick-paced classical monthly superheroics! The vehicle is certainly there as we head in to a new storyline detailing the mysterious murder of one of The Rogues -- a shocking twist if Blackest Night's dead is dead mandate turns out to be true!

- FEB100165 GREEN ARROW #32 $2.99
Sigh. To indulge this fundamentally flawed concept, or not? That is the question! It's been quite a while since Green Arrow was one of my monthly must-reads, so the affectionate part of me really wishes, like Flash, I could just sit down and get back to basics.

For those who've been reading regularly throughout the shared Green Arrow/Black Canary era, basics is probably not the right word for what I'm looking for, but while I'm sure those issues had some great character-driven content, it was a very specific format that did not grab me. While the Fall of Green Arrow storyline isn't completely without merit, it's difficult to escape the way in which it began, in James Robinson's mortifying Justice League: Cry for Justice. So, really, I just don't know what to expect. At $2.99, it might be worth dipping a toe in the water to see how all of this is actually going to go down, but I've got my doubts.

- FEB100441 SIEGE CAPTAIN AMERICA #1 $2.99
A few weeks ago I was critical of the way events in Siege tie-ins have synced up with the rest of the event. While there have certainly been fairly significant oversights, based on the issues that came out that week [March 24], I have to suck eggs. Those issues did indeed satisfy a good level of cohesion, and I would be forced to ammend my claim of disinterest -- after Siege #3, I find that I'm bored the first time these brawls are happening, making the redux across each tie-in all the more dull. Captain America (either one) is probably the character that would pull me in to this round of tie-ins, especially with a reasonable price on them, but previews show more Siege redux, and I just can't muster the interest. Chris Yost writes, so there's a good chance this is worth a look as a peripheral piece, but even in terms of aligning the two Caps, there's a good chance this one is worth a miss. I might need to take that back next week, though.

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Know Your Trade...
FEB100679 ARCHIE NEW LOOK SERIES TP VOL 04 MY FATHERS BETRAYAL $10.95
FEB100635 ESSENTIAL IRON MAN TP VOL 04 $19.99
FEB100633 EXCALIBUR VISIONARIES WARREN ELLIS TP VOL 01 $19.99
DEC090207 GOTHAM CITY SIRENS UNION HC $19.99
OCT090109 GUNSMITH CATS BURST TP VOL 05 (MR) $12.99
DEC090974 JUDGE DREDD RESTRICTED FILES TP VOL 01 $32.99
FEB101235 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 36 $12.95
FEB100614 SPIDER-MAN DIED IN YOUR ARMS TONIGHT TP $19.99
FEB100597 SPIDER-MAN GAUNTLET PREM HC VOL 02 RHINO & MYSTERIO $19.99
JAN100306 SUPERMAN CHRONICLES TP VOL 08 $14.99
DEC090253 TOM STRONG DELUXE ED HC BOOK 02 $39.99

Hero of the Week 2010 #14: Aquaman

AQUAMAN (DC) (2009)
Real Name: Orin/Arthur Curry
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941)
Group Affiliation: Atlantis, Justice League, Black Lantern Corps (former)
Gaming Credentials: Justice League Task Force (1995); Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis (2002); Justice League Heroes (2006); Batman: The Brave and the Bold (TBR/2010); DC Universe Online (TBR/2010)
Infinite Wars Cumulative Ranking: #55


I spend a lot of my time here on 1UP championing the value of a good story and the desire to see video games meet a standardized level of quality in that domain. This often involves holding up the conventions of modern comic books as an example video games could learn a lot from. You'd be hard pressed to get me to change my mind about that, but as DC comics close their year-long epic, Blackest Night, and gear toward a Brightest Day with newly resurrected heroes like Martian Manhunter, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, and Aquaman, an important counter-perspective begins to emerge.

Over the course of seventy years of serialized publishing, it stands to reason that characters are going to evolve to a certain point, but not so much that they become unrecognisable to their most popularized versions. This is the conundrum of comic books, where variations in a basic formula have created conflicting nostalgia in generations of readership who have graduated into controlling positions within the industry. It could be argued that few mediums have had the aging and industrial design to initiate so many die-hard fans as American comic books, and that's evident in the line-up of contemporary superstars who are writing the adventures of Batman, Superman, and their contemporaries. This is especially evident in Brightest Day and the writing of Geoff Johns and the current regime overseeing the course of DC comics.

Aquaman grapples with perceived weaknesses in a 1988 re-telling of the Justice League origin in Secret Origins #32.

Time has not been kind to Aquaman.
Where once a fascination with the unknown frontiers of deepsea adventures captivated fans of science-fiction, the notion of mystery and excitement has been lost in these modern times of science and assumed wisdom. They say the popularity of underwater fiction has sunk in most mediums due to this, but the persistent popularity of his tempestuous predecessor, Sub-Mariner, reminds us that it's much more than his aquatic origins that let the character down. A maturation in the expectations of comic book hyper-reality and characterization are a far greater handicap to the vintage DC hero, whose fantastic tales perhaps lagged behind others in gaining contemporary review. Unrevived by his equivalent to the Batman's seventies Denny O'Neil, or eighties Frank Miller, Aquaman was left to parody, mocked for the realistic impracticalities of his water-centric powers, and unrescued from the same Silver Age post-Comics Code silliness that populated DC's stories in the fifties and sixties.

Silver Age nostalgia is blatantly evident in the current era of DC comics and front-and-centre in their line-up of resurrections featured in Brightest Day. These nods to the past haven't come exclusively at the cost of the present, allowing classic versions to incorporate or coexist with modern inventions, whilst reviving the verve and imagination of Silver Age indulgences. It is, afterall, not a matter of simple and mindless absurdity, but the indulgence in fantasy that makes comic books an inherently exciting and imaginative medium. Writers like Grant Morrison have long shown the potential of merging old ideas with modern scope, leading to some of the most celebrated, quirky, and intelligent stories in comics, knowingly accepting of the madness and justified by appropriate balance.

Morrison's interpretation of Aquaman in the pages of JLA and Justice League spin-offs [pictured right] remains one of the most recent versions worthy of acknowledgment. His penchant for indulging the fiction allowed Aquaman to surpass his tongue-in-cheek appearances with the League of the eighties, to exist on the terms of super-heroic strengths. He possesses a retroactively included strength based upon the perils and pressures of the deep, while also showing considerable aptitude for languages befitting of a character whose domain encompasses half the globe, one he rules with the authority of a King.

It's a timely occasion to talk about Aquaman, however, thanks to the recent announcement of a Wii adaptation of the 2008 cartoon series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Where Brightest Day actively works to reintroduce Aquaman as a respected piece of the DC Universe; Brave and the Bold makes the decision to accept and capitalize upon the comedic overtones of the character, taking ownership of them with a loving parody of the tropes of classically popular superheroes. Brave and the Bold borrows extensively from all eras significant to Batman and DC comics, capitalizing on design and aesthetic commanded by the Silver Age of comics and TV animation, while borrowing stories, ideas, and characterization details from comics and movies spanning from the forties to today.

Aquaman's traditional family-man heroics clash with an ironically distanced stupidity and bravado that I couldn't say has ever truly been identified with the character. This might come from Aquaman's Golden Age relevance, or from broader ideals of heroes like Superman and Captain America, whose square-jawed fearlessness define the public archetype of successful superheroes. It's a joyous and valid interpretation of the character, and one I would expect will come into conflict with the current Brightest Day vision that is steadily influenced by the already mentioned indulgence in the more super-heroic qualities of the character. Which brings me to the opening point about a video game perspective...

I believe it's undeniable that decades of serialized storytelling has made comic books an invaluable perspective for video games to learn from. The maintenance and refining of properties over the course of seventy-odd years provides a learning process of mistakes and triumphs that any creative medium could learn from. That said -- video games, operating in publishing and budgetary structures more akin to film, have the advantage of at least avoiding the marginal difficulties of reasoning the balance between decades of serialized adventures, and aging. In their inaugral simplicity, video games have escaped the intellectual and conceptual demands that have forced comics to grind through constant justifications of a shifting timeline. Mario, for better or worse, exists timelessly as a concept without the beauty or intrigue of depth and character, but also without the struggles of reasoning through  Which is a strength to be admired.

Brightest Day #0 is already on sale and can be found at most good comics retailers.
Collected editions of Blackest Night will be available soon, but if you want to enjoy the Brightest Day action in real-time, it begins it's weekly release schedule May 5, with tangentially related instalments in Flash, Green Lantern, and other series. You can get more information by visiting DCcomics.com! Batman: The Brave and the Bold debuts for Wii and DS later in the year.

<< Hero of the Week 04/18: Ryu       [Home]       Hero of the Week 04/04: Martian Manhunter >>

Originally updated: http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9026819

SHIPPING LIST: APRIL 7, 2010
Disclaimer: 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.

The Independents...
JAN100729 ARCHIE & FRIENDS #142 $2.50
DEC090402 ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #22 (RES) $2.99
JAN100733 BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #203 $2.69
FEB100830 BOYS #41 (MR) $2.99
FEB100989 DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS SERIES 3 #2 $3.99
JAN101022 GHOSTBUSTERS DISPLACED AGGRESSION TP VOL 01 $17.99
JAN100437 GODLAND TP VOL 05 FAR BEYOND THE BANG $14.99
FEB100329 IMAGE FIRSTS CHEW #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB100328 IMAGE FIRSTS SPAWN #1 (MR) $1.00
DEC090364 INVINCIBLE RETURNS #1 $3.99
JAN101083 JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #295 $10.99
DEC090411 KING CITY #7 (MR) $2.99
OCT091023 PHANTOM GENERATIONS #10 $3.99 [learn more @ChronicleChamber.com]
DEC090786 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS CHAPTER TWO #8 $2.99
DEC091021 STREET FIGHTER II TURBO #12 (OF 12) A CVR RYU $3.95
JAN100424 TANK GIRL DIRTY HELMETS (ONE SHOT) (MR) $3.99

The Corporates...
FEB100202 BATMAN AND ROBIN #1 NEW PTG $1.00
FEB100456 ELECTRIC ANT #1 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
FEB100163 GREAT TEN #6 (OF 10) $2.99
FEB100259 GREEK STREET #10 (MR) $2.99
FEB100495 NEW AVENGERS LUKE CAGE #1 (OF 3) $3.99
FEB100140 RED ROBIN #11 $2.99
FEB100539 SHIELD #1 (MARVEL) $3.99
FEB100143 SUPERMAN LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #2 (OF 3) $3.99
JAN100251 SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN #5 (OF 6) (RES) $3.99
FEB100542 VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT #7 $2.99

The Spotlight...
- FEB100130 BATMAN AND ROBIN #11 $2.99
The pieces of the puzzle are certainly shifting in Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin, even if, as we come to the end of the first year's worth of story, they haven't quite begun to form an image we can all clearly understand. That's been half the fun of the ride in this series, which has done well to juggle arc-centric interests with the overall mystery of characters surrounding El Penitente, Oberon Sexton, and the so-called Domino Killer. How these mysteries will overlap with the Return of Bruce Wayne remains to be seen, and I'm greatly relieved just to know Morrison's sticking around for more than the originally announced twelve issue cut-off. I'll be immensely disappointed when this all comes to an end, but will at least take solace in the fact that I was silly enough to overlook much of the writer's initial run on the singular Batman. [Morrison] has the qualities of a perpetual storyteller, one that I would have every faith in if the book were to go weekly for several more years. If only he could be bottled that long!

- FEB100500 CAPTAIN AMERICA BLACK PANTHER FLAGS OF FATHERS #1 (OF 4) $3.99
Presumably this series will capitalize on brief flashback sequences seen early in Reginald Hudlin's revamp of the Black Panther [in Who is the Black Panther?], offering a more elaborate look at a WWII adventure that saw Captain America attempt to enter Wakanda in pursuit of Nazi criminals, only to be bested in combat by T'Chaka -- the then Black Panther! Despite a few misgivings about the writer's balance of a none-too-subtle agenda and his story, I'm quite a big fan of that initial arc, and will hope for a worthy follow-up to the history between these two heroes who occupy such big, mythological ideaspaces. One that offers a bit more texture than the two-dimensional drum beating of the flashback.

- JAN100266 FLASH SECRET FILES AND ORIGINS 2010 #1 $3.99
It's probably been about a year, maybe more, since we last had an on-going regular series called Flash. You'd have to have been living under a rock to know that part of that is due to the return of one of comics' most legendary heroes -- Barry Allen; the Silver Age Flash! Readers have had ample opportunity to better acquaint themselves with this Flash thanks to starring roles in the eploratory Rebirth mini-series, and throughout Blackest Night, where Flash briefly became a Blue Lantern of hope! If for some reason you still feel the need for an introduction, the Secret Files are for you. Traditionally more factoids than storylines, don't expect this to act as any more than a primer for the new series that kicks off with Geoff Johns and Francis Manapaul later in the month. Fun, but not a must-read.

- FEB100506 MARVEL ZOMBIES 5 #1 (OF 5) $3.99
Last year's Marvel Zombies 4 made me a believer -- not just with respect to what had been a fairly thinly spread high concept in the Marvel Zombies brand -- but rather a believer in the remarkable writing talents of Fred Van Lente! He returns to post-apocalyptic Earth-2149 where Machine Man was last seen taking the fight to the zombies, back in MZ3. I love the way the zombie high concept has been folded into the significance of the core Marvel Universe and really enjoy the way that's allowed it to become a platform for neglected heroes, like Morbius and Werewolf by Night in MZ4. Here's hoping that refreshing perspective can continue to be at play moving forward!

- DEC091021 STREET FIGHTER II TURBO #12 (OF 12) A CVR RYU $3.95
When UDON's loose adaptation of the Street Fighter mythos was to relaunch as Turbo in order to refocus on the tournament itself, I had my reservations. As a comic and adaptation, the series remains easy to criticize, but on the whole, I think these twelve issues on the whole have at least benefitted from the motivation of the beginning of the elimination bracket. With their final issue in this chapter, UDON will canonize the games' Super Street Fighter II addition of Akuma into the canon, as he jumps in to fight M. Bison in what will presumably be an action-packed blockbuster end to the maxi-series. The biggest question that remains is how well the art studio will perform in the future, now that the most significant portion of the Street Fighter story has been told.

- DEC090417 WEIRD WORLD OF JACK STAFF #2 $3.50
As an old fan of characters like The Spider, A.R.C.H.I.E. and Mytek the Mighty, I've always had a real affection for the Jack Staff world. Alas, I constantly allow myself to fall out of touch with these comics. Weird World of Jack Staff seems like the perfect way for readers new and old to jump back in on the quirky and diverse subject of the series' title. Paul Grist's quirky charm might feel a bit jarring at first to those lured by the slick, contemporary styled guest cover art, but I would hope anyone checking it out could overcome that, to appreciate what really is sure to be one of the most genre-spanning works on shelves today. Bright, colourful and full of superhero-lite adventure, it's just a great and fun book. I really just wanted to mention that!

- FEB100572 WOLVERINE WEAPON X #12 $3.99
I really can't remember the last time I sat down with the expressed intention of reading a comic because Wolverine was in it. It's with noted trepidation that I take note of the latest issue of Weapon X. I enjoy the unique experience of comic book shared universes and memorable characters -- so the big lure here is the presence of Captain America and Deathlok(s), who probably aren't the first guest characters in the series of late, but are the first to really grab my attention. It's a cross-time tale that tells of Wolvie's battle against the growing cyborg ranks of Deathloks, so it's probably not exactly destined to have lasting effects on the world around them, but it's nice to have a reason to at least look up at one of Marvel's most prevelant characters. Can't say I'll be particularly driven to pick this up as one of the various $3.99 books out this week, but it's worth a mention. Another feather in the cap of writer Jason Aaron, who seems to have well and truly won the favour of the Marvel boysclub.

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Know Your Trade...
DEC090201 BATMAN AND ROBIN DELUXE HC VOL 01 BATMAN REBORN $24.99
JAN100682 DAREDEVIL GUARDIAN DEVIL TP NEW PTG $19.99
JAN101022 GHOSTBUSTERS DISPLACED AGGRESSION TP VOL 01 $17.99
JAN100437 GODLAND TP VOL 05 FAR BEYOND THE BANG $14.99
FEB100616 IRON MAN VS WHIPLASH TP $14.99
JAN100298 JSA TP VOL 04 THY KINGDOM COME PART 3 $19.99
FEB100619 MARVEL ZOMBIES 04 TP $16.99
DEC090255 STARCRAFT HC BOOK 01 $19.99

Hero of the Week 2010 #13: Martian Manhunter

MARTIAN MANHUNTER (DC)
Real Name: J'onn J'onnz
First Appearance: Detective Comics #255 (November, 1955)
Group Affiliation: Justice League, Black Lantern Corps (former)
Gaming Credentials: Justice League: Injustice for All (2002); Justice League Chronicles (2003); Justice League Heroes (2006); DC Universe Online (TBR/2010)
Infinite Wars Cumulative Ranking: #36


He's been described as the heart, the soul, and the conscience of the Justice League, but no amount of sentimental attachment was enough to save the character from the march of death that populates mainstream corporate comics today. After years of having the axe dangle during major stories, Martian Manhunter finally met his fictional demise at the hands of The Society in 2008's Final Crisis.

As you no doubt know, death has a way of being less than permanent in comics, and in honor of Easter, it seems all the more appropriate that our HOTW is officially back among the living as of this week's Blackest Night #8! The timely resurrection came courtesty of the White Lantern light of Life (provided by "The Entity"), which resurrected a dozen heroes and villains who were gripped by black rings provided by Nekron: sentient personification of black nothingness, guardian of death, and enemy of all flickers of life, who instigated the year-long DC Universe/Green Lantern comic book event epic, Blackest Night. Trust me, it's not as complicated as it might at first sound!

Left-to-Right: Maxwell Lord, Professor Zoom, Hawk, Jade, Captain Boomerang, Firestorm, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Deadman, Osiris -- twelve resurrected by the White Lantern for reasons to be explored in Brightest Day!

Like most of DC's secondary iconic heroes, the Martian Manhunter's career in video games has been brief, but thanks to a fixed role in the animated Justice League cartoons, many fans across the globe have gained new appreciation for one of comicdom's favourite sons. The character is likely to be front and centre when players dive head-first into an interactive parallel world when Sony finally launch their action-adventure MMO -- DC Universe Online! All part of DC's growing network of cross platform properties that will no doubt foster a greater awareness of what they have always had to offer.

For characters like Martian Manhunter, the sales pitch begun with the comics, depicting a process of refinement that's branched the entirety of the character's fifty-year history. It was quite recently, in Darwyn Cooke's 2004 opus DC: The New Frontier, that many fans were introduced to what they feel is the stylistic and representative definitive version of the Martian Manhunter's earliest days, a tale that separates him from the similiarities he shares with another last survivor of a far off alien race, Superman. In these early days, Martian Manhunter is introduced to humanity through observations of 1950s paranoia and intolerance, as well as the moral templates depicted in entertainment such as noir detective tales that inspire him to create the fictional human persona of Det. John Jones -- a chiseled beat cop with a hunch that'll lead you to water in the desert, thanks in no small part to his Martian-borne powers of telepathy, invisibility, and intangibility.

For the super-man who has everything, a weakness quite unlike any other -- fire!
Those who saw the lighter-fare animated adaptation of The New Frontier were still privvy to one of the greatest lines of the six-issue mini-series, spoken by the Martian's fellow Gothamite, Batman; "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."

It's a beautifully simple line that sums up the predicament of Martian Manhunter's ultimate frailty, the differentiation between he and Superman, and the social distrust he faces in his early days after accidentally being transported to Earth by a scientist who died of a heart attack upon seeing him. An origin that paints a steady contrast to Superman's Moses/Christ-like tale of being adopted by a loving family and nurtured to recognise the good in humans, and reminds us how the devil lurks in the details within the otherwise simplistic superhero archetype.

Needless to say, it's a lot of fun to have the character back in the world of DC comics!
He and the other characters resurrected in the final issue of Blackest Night will now become the subjects of a brand new storyline, the contrasting Brightest Day. The names come from another New Frontier reference, namely the oath sworn by members of the Green Lantern Corps who accept the mantle and quote it to charge their powerrings. For more information on all things comic book, you should check out DCcomics.com! Otherwise, that's a wrap on a nice and quick Easter HOTW!

<< Hero of the Week 04/11: Aquaman       [Home]       Hero of the Week 03/28: Captain America >>

Originally posted: http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9026122

SHIPPING LIST: MARCH 31, 2010
Disclaimer: 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.

The Independents...
DEC090972 2000 AD PACK FEB 2010 $18.00
JAN100732 BETTY #185 $2.50
JAN100806 DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP #10 (OF 24) $3.99
DEC090733 DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP HC VOL 02 (OF 6) $24.99
JAN100962 DRAGON AGE #1 $3.99
JAN100959 HEAVY METAL MAY 2010 (MR) $6.95
OCT090422 GODLAND #31 $2.99
FEB100327 IMAGE FIRSTS WALKING DEAD #1 (MR) $1.00
FEB100326 IMAGE FIRSTS YOUNGBLOOD #1 $1.00
JAN100814 INCORRUPTIBLE #4 $3.99
NOV083737 JOHNNY THE HOMICIDAL MANIAC HC NEW PTG (MR) $44.95
FEB100666 LITTLEST ZOMBIE #1 $3.50
DEC090774 RASL #7 (MR) $3.50
JAN101172 TEZUKAS BLACK JACK TP VOL 10 $16.95
JAN100139 USAGI YOJIMBO #127 SWORD OF NARUKAMI $3.50

The Corporates...
JAN100255 ADVENTURE COMICS #9 $3.99
JAN100319 BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC OF SHAZAM #14 $2.50
JAN100594 PUNISHER #15 $2.99
JAN100564 PUNISHER MAX MGC #1 (MR) $1.00
JAN100606 REALM OF KINGS INHUMANS #5 (OF 5) $3.99
JAN100522 SHE-HULK SENSATIONAL #1 $4.99
JAN100290 WONDER WOMAN #42 $2.99

The Spotlight...
- JAN100557 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #627 $2.99
The intrigue of The Gauntlet deepens as the Juggernaut steps into the spotlight, but is he the villain, or the victim? A three-part story entitled Something Can Stop the Juggernaut is interesting enough, but taking place in Amazing Spider-man over an X-Men book is all the more interesting! Of course, the appearance isn't without precedent. The joy of The Gauntlet has largely been it's ability to recapture the glory days of the seventies and eighties, not just by using classic villains, but by lining up a list of guest villains and heroes that make full use of the flowing fluidity of monthly (or in this case, weekly) comic books!

Given that Amazing #625 unleashed a merciless Rhino whose super-durable hide was hardened further by the death of his recently taken wife -- one wonders if it might be he who has taken down the unstoppable Juggernaut. Then again, with the legacy of Kraven the Hunter looming on the horizon, perhaps it's the daughter of one of Spidey's most deadly foes who's exercising her powers before hunting the web-slinger himself! I've got no idea -- and not knowing is half the fun!

- JAN100231 BLACKEST NIGHT #8 (OF 8) $3.99
This is it! After what was a jam-packed year of Blackest Night saga, the end is finally here! Sinestro has inherited the powers of all life in existence, making him the powerful White Lantern who leads the other New Guardians of the spectrum of light into battle! If you caught Green Lantern #52 you know just how big a deal the S-Man has become, surviving bifurcation to rally the personified entities of each light-type [Ion, Parallax, etc] in their final battle with Nekron!

It's almost impossible to imagine exactly what lies ahead for the heroes (and villains) of the DC Universe, but for the occasional moment of stagnancy, I'd have to say it's been another triumph for the company as a whole. Geoff Johns earns his role as architectural grand pubah of the DCU, since defined as some sort of Editorial position. With the Brightest Day lying ahead, I'm rather pleased to see characters like Atrocitus and Larfleeze still lurking around our humble sector of space, beautifully justified with trademark ease by the reveal that Earth is indeed the secret centre of the universe. At this point, I think the uncertainty of the future is actually more exciting than the final chapter of the Blackest Night!

- JAN100569 CLOAK AND DAGGER #1 $3.99
Hey, check it out! I'm completely ignorant about this, a new one-shot from Marvel, but I'm pretty pleased to see it show up on the shipping list! Fans of the early nineties Spidey event, Maximum Carnage, will no doubt remember Cloak and Dagger fondly, but that's hardly their only claim to fame as a duo. Along with a string of solo adventures throughout the eighties and nineties, the pair recently showed up as covert operative within the Dark X-Men, not to mention their role as underground fighters during Civil War!

It becomes all too easy to criticize Marvel (and DC) of not making full use of their properties, so it's wonderful to see the initiative being taken here. Granted, it hasn't been a hasty transition from Dark X-Men to spin-off, and it's only a one-shot, but you take what you can get. I have an affection for these characters, if only for nostalgic reasons. Not sure what they'll be up against, but here's hoping it's strong enough to see them find their way back into regular rotation!

- JAN100245 GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #10 $2.99
Despite rather enjoying the first half-dozen issues, I have to confess to having fallen out of the Gotham City Sirens loop. I find there's a vague sense of meandering at play as the title drifts from the novelty of the Batman: Reborn relaunches, to occupy a strange space of uncertain relevance. Paul Dini, whenever present, is bound to be a lure, particularly as The Riddler's age as an altruistic private investigator type continues to be explored. Looking over previous incarnations of the riddling former-villain, it dawned on me just how significant a change the recast has been, but also how perfectly it positions a character that had to compete with the zany gimmick antics of more immediately threatening Bat-villains, like the Joker and Two-Face. Which isn't to detract from the significance of the titular heroines, whose roles aren't nearly as marginalized as the hyper-sexualized artwork of Gotham City Sirens covers might suggest. Glamour model-esque artworks aside, it's clear that Catwoman remains the firm foundation of GCS, despite struggling to maintain a central role to the depth of the solo series this book replaced. One wonders if there isn't a better way to have cake and eat it too, but then, as I said, I'm rather out of the loop. Finances willing, I'll probably take the fifth-week opportunity to pick this issue up and reacquaint myself with the book, hopefully without finding a Riddler reverted to sub-standard villainy.

- JAN100281 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #43 $3.99
It doesn't seem productive to labour on the point, but I don't think it can be overstated how truly, utterly, disgracefully terrible Justice League: Cry for Justice was. That said -- based on the "Rise" and "Fall" issues that have followed the conclusion of James Robinson's bizarrely awful mini-series, the event that it birthed might actually managed to be worth it, inspite of it's origins. I, of course, refer to the exile of Green Arrow as an outlaw who killed Prometheus and is on the run from the JLA, which runs concurrent to the rebirth of a one-armed Red Arrow. It's still a bloated concept that has a long way to go before it justifies the destruction of Star City (along with more acceptable deaths of superfluous children), but at least we've seen the concept from a perspective that was character-driven and coherrent.

After the truly horrendous Cry for Justice, it's difficult to have faith in James Robinson, even if the storylines he initiated have found some justification. In announcing his take on the JLA, the point of "revealing" Prometheus to have been replaced by an incompetent double, one that would absorb responsibility for a string of defeats in order to reboot the reputation of the original, was heavily laboured upon. What we've wound up with, instead, is a Prometheus of even less value than the previous, killed-off with a simple arrow to the head. It's the antithesis of what was described as one of the key objectives of the series, and a mistake that won't be soon forgiven. Not by me, at least. The Rise and Fall might be worth a look, but under Robinson, I'll be unlikely to investigate too thoroughly, or forget the sins of the past too soon.

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Know Your Trade...
JAN100681 CAPTAIN AMERICA WINTER SOLDIER ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP $24.99
OCT090244 CREEPER BY STEVE DITKO HC $39.99
DEC090733 DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP HC VOL 02 (OF 6) $24.99
JAN100691 ESSENTIAL RAMPAGING HULK TP VOL 02 $19.99
DEC090580 IRON MAN EXTREMIS HC $24.99
NOV083737 JOHNNY THE HOMICIDAL MANIAC HC NEW PTG (MR) $44.95
AUG090177 ROBIN ARCHIVES HC VOL 02 $59.99
DEC090610 SPIDER-MAN COMPLETE CLONE SAGA EPIC TP BOOK 01 $34.99
JAN101172 TEZUKAS BLACK JACK TP VOL 10 $16.95
DEC090223 WONDER WOMAN ENDS OF THE EARTH TP $14.99