Thursday, August 26, 2010

Recommended Reading for the Week of August 25, 2010

Hey there, True Believers (can I say that?)!  Here's a quick look at some of the new comic books this week that are worth your hard earned cash:

*Warning: There may be slight spoilers ahead, but I won't spoil any of the really nifty stuff.

Driver for the Dead #1 (of 3)
Radical Publishing 
$4.99/56pages

The entire Alter Ego Comics staff has been looking forward to this series since it was first previewed in the 2010 Free Comic Book Day Radical Sampler, and I'm happy to say that it does not disappoint!

Fans of the TV show Supernatural or books like The Dresden Files will love this comic.  The story is fast-paced and the artwork is outstanding.

In fact, I've been so impressed by the comics coming out of Radical that we're spotlighting them from now through the month of September.  Check out the Radical Publishing display as you enter the store, and pick up some of the great comics that this indie comics label is putting out.

Justice League: Generation Lost #8
DC Comics
$2.99/32 pages

One of DCs two bi-monthly series, (the other is Brightest Day), Generation Lost is a treat for fans of Justice League: International.  

Max Lord is back from the dead (thanks to Blackest Night) and he's made the entire world forget who he is...except the former members of the JLI.  They know he's back, they know what he did (you know, murdering Blue Beetle Ted Kord, among other bad stuff), and they want to bring him to Justice.  

Generation Lost has been consistently good from the get go, and this issue turns up the action and excitement a notch or two.

Namor: The First Mutant #1
Marvel Comics
$3.99/40 pages

I was pretty skeptical about a new X-Men series dealing with Vampires when it came out a couple of months ago, but that new X book has been excellent.  Here's the setup: Dracula has been killed by one of his sons, and the son has taken over as ruler of all vampires.  Turns out there are different vampire sects out there in the world - Some want to get along with humans, some want nothing to do with them, and some want to kill them and drink their blood.  Put Dracula's kid into that last group.  

He's come up with a airborne virus that will turn mutants into vampires.  Now the X-Men need to bring Dracula back from the dead by getting his severed head and body back together. 

Enter Namor.  He's been hanging out with the X-Men on their island Utopia, and has been tasked with retrieving Drac's head from the Atlantean Vampires call Aqueos.  This first issue is a great read, and, surprisingly, I'm not burned out on vampire stories (you should pick up American Vampire from Vertigo, too).  'Nuff said!

Wonder Woman #602
DC Comics
$2.99/32 pages

J. Michael Straczynski's second full issue of Wonder Woman builds off of the first with more character development of the "new" Wonder Woman, and some butt-kicking action scenes.  Fans of the warrior Wonder Woman in the classic Kingdom Come story, will dig this issue.

I'm still not sure where JMS is going with his Wonder Woman, but it's definitely worth getting on board for the ride.

Fans of strong female characters and Greek mythology will want to check out Wonder Woman.



Superman/Batman #75 
DC Comics
$4.99/56 pages
This anniversary issue features a main story with the Legion of Super Heroes joining Superman and Batman, but the bonus content makes this book a must-read.  Some of DCs best writers and artists have contributed 2 page stories, including Adam Hughes, Brian Azzarello, Lee Beremejo, Francis Manapul, JT Krul, Shane Davis and many others.  Highlights include a Calvin and Hobbes style story featuring Lex Luthor and the Joker, a Red Robin/Batman and Superboy/Superman story and a Krypto/Ace the Bathound story.





See you next week!