Star Wars: Agent of the Empire #1

Writer: John Ostrander
Artist: Stephane Roux
Company: Dark Horse Comics

Lately, Star Wars has been on my brain. Not a huge surprise, really, as the world that George Lucas created is a playground for creators to come up with great ideas for different kinds of stories. One such creator, John Ostrander, is the man behind many of the more notable tales in the Expanded Universe of the Star Wars license. The work that he was able to do with characters like Quinlan Vos and Cade Skywalker, characters that could have easily felt like one dimensional stand-ins for the classic archetypes, is rather exceptional. He makes you care about his characters and the problems that they are up against are not usually meager or easily forgettable. With Agent of the Empire, Ostrander introduces a new character to the Star Wars mythos...James Bond.

Animal Man #4

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Travel Foreman
Company: DC Comics

Mainstream superhero comics hardly seem the right place for horror in most instances. It's a great genre, and has been used well at times, but it has a way of upsetting the balance and quickly slaps the cuffs on any of the spandex adventuring that typically takes center stage. With Animal Man however, Jeff Lemire has found an odd balance that drives an 18 wheeler packed with mutated nitroglycerin through said formula and never looks back. The subsequent explosion of genre bending material has an enjoyment factor that is set so high with every issue that a part of me thinks that there has to be an issue that takes a step back or pauses for a breather. The thing is, such an instance hasn't happened yet, and really, that is a great thing.

Holiday Buying Guide 2011

Sometimes, finding that perfect gift for that special someone or close relative that has a love for all things geek or comic related is a hard, nigh impossible job. There's too much out there to sift through and the question of whether or not a person already has something or not always enters into the equation. That part is still hard, but what this article will try to do is help those in need, or simply will become a list of goodies that I would ultimately be thrilled to find nestled gently beneath the tree on Christmas morning. So without further ado, "To the List!"

Villains for Hire #1

Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Artist: Renato Arlem
Company: Marvel Comics

While it was a little sad to see Heroes for Hire slip into the ether, it's nice that the core of the title and many of the main threads essentially get to live on in another incarnation in this four issue mini-series. The focus has shifted a bit, skewing to the villains this time, but not much has changed in the actual craft of the story. DnA still approach it the same way, putting forth a collection of off the wall characters and allowing them to be cool in ways and deeds that they normally don't get the chance to be. It's almost as if these writers sorted through a toy chest filled to the brim with D and Z list action figures and then, after careful consideration, went to war with them.

Week in Review 11/26/11

Astonishing X-Men #44
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Mike McKone
Company: Marvel Comics

First off, the cover to this one is definitely one that has an immediate grab factor. That sounds stranger than I meant for it to, but I still stand by my statement. The comic inside, written by Greg (Hulk) Pak is quite good too. It's standard fare, but not run of the mill or boring, as it deals with Storm requiring a favor and some help from Cyclops. The focus on

All Star Western #3

Writers: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Artists: Moritat & Jordi Bernet
Company: DC Comics

Violent. Bloody violent. That's what All Star Western is and what it should be. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti have been at the wheel of the character named Jonah Hex for a long time now. They've always put together a solid book, one that embodied who Jonah Hex is and the stories that he usually found himself in. With All Star however, things are a bit different. For the better. Including him in the DCU proper has been one of the best moves yet and essentially teaming him up with a burgeoning Amadeus Arkham allows a whole new take on the character to be seen.

Fantastic Four #600

Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artists: Steve Epting, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Ming Doyle, Leinil Francis Yu, & Farel Dalrymple
Company: Marvel Comics

To be completely honest, I had lost interest in the story that Jonathan Hickman was forming in the pages of FF over the past few months. When the focus of the book strayed from the main players to a few background characters, namely the Supreme Intelligence and the Inhumans, my interest dropped off the face of the map and spiraled into Don't Caresville. Those characters are tough sells to begin with and the story was boring and felt like a huge deviation from what had been building into a tense and memorable tale. After reading this 600th issue, I feel the need to go back to those issues and catch up. Why? Because taken as a hole, though those issues may have been

Week in Review 11/19/11

Amazing Spider-Man #674
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Company: Marvel Comics

With Spider Island having seen its conclusion, Peter Parker picks up the pieces of his life and shoulders on. Slott still has that mixture of things that work and things that don't in this book. The revitalization of an old villain by making him the leader of a group of Emo teenagers causing mayhem doesn't jibe all that well and makes them seem like rejects out of Rumble Fish. On the other hand,

Catwoman #3

Writer: Judd Winick
Artist: Guillem March
Company: DC Comics

After the "controversy" of the first issue, not much has really been said about our favorite feline anti-hero. Whether that's because it was written off as a tawdry book who's only reason for existence was to show some skin and have page after page of sexual innuendo or for some other reason, I don't know. For me, Catwoman has fast become the sleeper hit of the DC relaunch. Yes, it's tawdry and unrelentingly dark, but Winick is pulling the threads of a calculated and interesting story together, panel by panel, inch by inch.

The cover, drawn by March, is telling and gives us a quick glimpse of what is to be found inside. The use of

Justice League #3

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jim Lee
Company: DC Comics

While a few DC books have been floundering, Geoff Johns' foray into the land of the Justice League continues to be one of the most entertaining titles of the relaunch. Why? Because every single issue that's come out is packed to the gills with so much stuff that it has a re-readability quality that many other books don't. It's also that cool combination of stage magic where it has both flash and substance that keeps you on the edge of your seat. This third issue is no different. Right off the bat it is our introduction to Wonder Woman's character and then once that has been established, goes right into the chaos as Parademons begin their attack for Darkseid on various cities all around the world.

Avenging Spider-Man #1

Writer: Zeb Wells
Artist: Joe Madureira
Company: Marvel Comics

A very middle of the road affair, all told. Sometimes you hate to say certain things about comics, especially when you know that they are issues that people are looking forward to, but it's true, Avenging Spider-Man is the perfect example of what a "Middle of the Road" comic looks like. That said, it's big news that Joe Madureira has returned to the land of comics (even though it shall more than likely be a brief visit). Like Jim Lee, he's one of those beloved creators that had an intense artistic impact on a huge group of people years ago and created a huge fan-base that constantly crave something new from him. His X-Men and Battle Chasers are of course still held in high regard, so yes, him on a Spider-Man title is a big deal.

Dc Comics The New 52 - Quick Shots 10/29/11

Well, everyone take a quick sigh of relief. Catch your breath while you can, as the first month of DC's relaunch is finally over. 52 new books with new creative teams and new things to love or hate. Okay, break's over and the books keep on coming. Overall, I have to say that I'm pretty happy with the quality that we've seen. Sure, there have been a few books that have disappointed, but we expected that to some degree. There was no way that all 52 of them would hit the bulls-eye. What this article will try to do is provide a quick three or four sentence review of how each of the subsequent issues of the title fare. I wish that I could provide a more in depth look at each of them, but time is a harsh mistress and it seems to always run out. Anyways, to the books!

Spaceman #1 of 9

Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Company: Vertigo Comics

Well, I'm going to just come out and say it: Brian Azzarello is on fire. With his Flashpoint: Batman Knight of Vengeance mini being the creme de la creme of the Flashpoint world and the start to the new Wonder Woman series hitting all of the right notes, you'd think that he might be stretching himself a bit too thin. Wrong. Spaceman, an urban Sci-Fi story, is just as clever and mind grabbing. Teaming up with his artistic partner Eduardo Risso is the icing on the cake.

Together they aptly tell the tale of Orson, a genetically engineered hulk of a man who, like most people, is trying to find his place in life and dreaming

Wolverine & the X-Men #1

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Chris Bachalo
Company: Marvel Comics

Well, whether or not you cared for the idea of Cyclops and Wolverine calling off their friend engagement and splitting into two different factions or not, there's really no stopping it now. It's happened and even though it was forced and felt off in seventeen different ways, we now have another X-Book to keep an eye on. That said, this is a weird book. Or more to the point, a weird X-Men book. Why? Because it bashes you over the head with humor instead of mutant, death-freeze-omni-whatever blasts that we are used to, which is a little atypical of the traditional X-Men formula. If you can get behind that and the very Whedon-y style to the characters speech patterns and banter, then there is a pleasant surprise for you with this book. If you

Incredible Hulk #1

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Marc Silvestri
Company: Marvel Comics

Compared to the books that have encompassed the Hulk property over the last few years, Jason Aaron's new foray into the grand misadventures of a Banner-less Hulk leaves a distinct and quite unsatisfying taste in your mouth. Yes, the prerequisite material that any Hulk book should have is there. Hulk does smash stuff bare handed and grumble a bit about persecution and being hunted, but to me it's missing the heart that Greg Pak was able to package and get across in his book.

One of the biggest selling points is probably the Marc Silvestri artwork. It's been a long time since we've seen him do a monthly book, as for the past few years

Why Haven't there Been Any New Articles Recently?

The answer to that is fairly simple. ARKHAM CITY. Well, that and a crazy few weeks of life, but mainly because I was so engrossed by the expansive, interesting, beautiful, laugh inducing, beat em up fest that this game is. Though it sounds insane, it's the best licensed game that's ever been made, and unlike many other sequels, this one somehow beats the high bar that Arkham Asylum created. Now, with the main game over with and my obsessive need to find all 400 Riddler trophies (which is insane by the way...and I'm sure I've already started cackling), I decided that it was time to go back to comics.

So, without further ado, let's get back to the reviews! Of course, the Nightwing download pack comes out next week, so I better get cracking!

Have you guys been playing it as well? What's the general consensus from you? Best game ever?

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man # 2-3

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Sara Pichelli
Company: Marvel Comics

It's a fairly easy statement to make that Ultimate Spider-Man, in whatever incarnation that it's taken, is Brian Michael Bendis' best work. It's the most character centric, spot on, interesting, and ultimately enjoyable comic book that he's written. Sure, you could throw out and argue Alias, but there's something so dead on with the way that Bendis "gets" the character of Peter Parker. Now, this new book isn't Parker, but that in and of itself isn't a deal breaker. Starting from the ground up with a new character, while risky in many ways, also makes a great amount of sense. The potential for new readers is there, but the game has to be brought in order to keep up with the expectations. The first issue did that, though it did

Week in Review 10/5/11 - 10/13/11

Angel & Faith #2
Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Rebekah Isaacs
Company: Dark Horse Comics

If you feel the need to read a comic that in any way relates to the world of Buffy, I can not stress the fact that Angel & Faith should be that book more. Gage is a writer that brings a good story with him when he comes on a book. He does his research, gets in the characters' headspace and then lets the ball of chaos unravel so the reader can get caught up in it. In a good way. The interaction between Faith and Angel is so paramount, and here it has a simple good cop/bad vampire type feel to it, one that feels faithful to the show while at the same time breaking new ground. The notion of Angel

DC Comics The New 52 - Quick Shots 10/12/11

Well, everyone take a quick sigh of relief. Catch your breath while you can, as the first month of DC's relaunch is finally over. 52 new books with new creative teams and new things to love or hate. Okay, break's over and the books keep on coming. Overall, I have to say that I'm pretty happy with the quality that we've seen. Sure, there have been a few books that have disappointed, but we expected that to some degree. There was no way that all 52 of them would hit the bulls-eye. What this article will try to do is provide a quick three or four sentence review of how each of the subsequent issues of the title fare. I wish that I could provide a more in depth look at each of them, but time is a harsh mistress and it seems to always run out. Anyways, to the books!

DC Comics The New 52 - Quick Shots 10/8/11

Well, everyone take a quick sigh of relief. Catch your breath while you can, as the first month of DC's relaunch is finally over. 52 new books with new creative teams and new things to love or hate. Okay, break's over and the books keep on coming. Overall, I have to say that I'm pretty happy with the quality that we've seen. Sure, there have been a few books that have disappointed, but we expected that to some degree. There was no way that all 52 of them would hit the bulls-eye. What this article will try to do is provide a quick three or four sentence review of how each of the subsequent issues of the title fare. I wish that I could provide a more in depth look at each of them, but time is a harsh mistress and it seems to always run out. Anyways, to the books!

The Strange Talent of Luther Strode #1

Writer: Justin Jordan
Artist: Tradd Moore
Company: Image Comics

To be completely honest, I had no idea what to expect with this first issue of The Strange Talent of Luther Strode. A friend of mine read a preview copy a while back and immediately stated that it was a "must read" title, one of those books that grabs you by the balls from the get go and gets you hooked quick and leaves you gasping for breath wanting more. I said okay, that I would most certainly give it a shot, even though it seemed like a book that wasn't really my cup of tea. It wasn't because of the super violence that I knew the book reveled in, nor was it the notion of a high school kid getting super powers. What it was, was the fact that we've seen these kinds of things tackled before and I was unsure of what, if anything, new that could be

DC Comics The New 52 Week 4: Part 2

Well, the wait is finally over!  The New DCU is upon us, and whether you're ready or not, this week sees the release of 13 all new series.  It's strange, exciting, and truly a great time to be a fan of the medium of comics.  Now, on the review side, I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible with these reviews, mainly due to the fact that experiencing them yourself is paramount.  I'm also going to try to do full reviews for a lot of these new series, though time constraints and my current sanity level will prevent me from doing all of them.  That said, in these The New 52 Articles, I'll give you a quick rundown of what was good, what was not so good, and what are the books to seek out.  So without further ado, TO THE BOOKS!

DC Comics The New 52 Week 4: Part 1

Well, the wait is finally over!  The New DCU is upon us, and whether you're ready or not, this week sees the release of 13 all new series.  It's strange, exciting, and truly a great time to be a fan of the medium of comics.  Now, on the review side, I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible with these reviews, mainly due to the fact that experiencing them yourself is paramount.  I'm also going to try to do full reviews for a lot of these new series, though time constraints and my current sanity level will prevent me from doing all of them.  That said, in these The New 52 Articles, I'll give you a quick rundown of what was good, what was not so good, and what are the books to seek out.  So without further ado, TO THE BOOKS!

Wonder Woman #1

Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Cliff Chiang
Company: DC Comics

Always considered to be one of the major three players of the DC Universe, Wonder Woman more often plays the role of red headed step-child, you know, without the red hair. People love her. Her visage and iconic symbol sell countless amounts of merchandise to young kids. She's iconic. And yet, her comic has really had a hard time finding its niche. People such as Gail Simone, Allan Heinberg, and novelist Jodi Picoult have all had a stab at it and come up empty. The last time that I can remember having a solid, imaginative outing was when George Perez relaunched her back in the 80's. Enter Brian Azzarello. Azzarello is not the first person that you would think of to relaunch this title. His stories, things like 100 Bullets and Flashpoint: Batman Knight

Catwoman #1

Writer: Judd Winick
Artist: Guillem March
Company: DC Comics

Sex. Boobs. Sex. Boobs. It's almost as if you elude to these things in any way, shape, or form in a superhero comic, the internet implodes upon itself and a news cycle is created. Really though, sex sells, and while I know the gender debate is raging right along with the question of with things like this, is DC bringing in new female readers, I think a question is being lost among all of the hubbub.  That question is this: Is the comic even any good? And the answer to that is yes. Winick and March bring their A games with this one and provide an over the top, rip roaring good time that caters to fans of both good story and great art. Is it the creme de la creme? No, like many other books it does

DC Comics The New 52 Week 3: Part 2

Well, the wait is finally over!  The New DCU is upon us, and whether you're ready or not, this week sees the release of 13 all new series.  It's strange, exciting, and truly a great time to be a fan of the medium of comics.  Now, on the review side, I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible with these reviews, mainly due to the fact that experiencing them yourself is paramount.  I'm also going to try to do full reviews for a lot of these new series, though time constraints and my current sanity level will prevent me from doing all of them.  That said, in these The New 52 Articles, I'll give you a quick rundown of what was good, what was not so good, and what are the books to seek out.  So without further ado, TO THE BOOKS!

DC Comics The New 52 Week 3: Part 1

Well, the wait is finally over!  The New DCU is upon us, and whether you're ready or not, this week sees the release of 13 all new series.  It's strange, exciting, and truly a great time to be a fan of the medium of comics.  Now, on the review side, I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible with these reviews, mainly due to the fact that experiencing them yourself is paramount.  I'm also going to try to do full reviews for a lot of these new series, though time constraints and my current sanity level will prevent me from doing all of them.  That said, in these The New 52 Articles, I'll give you a quick rundown of what was good, what was not so good, and what are the books to seek out.  So without further ado, TO THE BOOKS!

Week in Review 9/16/11

Fear Itself #6
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: Stuart Immonen
Company: Marvel Comics

Summer Event. These two words usually are synonymous with stories that feature action, adventure, grand ideas, all mixed up with a bit of sashaying fun that gets your noggin in the game. For all of the problems that I ended up having with things like Civil War, Secret Invasion, and World War Hulk, they had those crucial things. That and they got people talking about comics on a very positive note. Fear Itself feels like the awkward step child that is standing alone in a crowded room that no one wants to talk to. Why? It's boring. Plain and simple. It's drawn out, features strange characterizations (Angry Odin, Milita Making

Wednesday Number Ones 9/14/11

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:  Buffy the Vampires Slayers Season 9 #1, Pigs #1, and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1.

DC Comics The New 52 Week 2: Part 2

Well, the wait is finally over!  The New DCU is upon us, and whether you're ready or not, this week sees the release of 13 all new series.  It's strange, exciting, and truly a great time to be a fan of the medium of comics.  Now, on the review side, I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible with these reviews, mainly due to the fact that experiencing them yourself is paramount.  I'm also going to try to do full reviews for a lot of these new series, though time constraints and my current sanity level will prevent me from doing all of them.  That said, in these The New 52 Articles, I'll give you a quick rundown of what was good, what was not so good, and what are the books to seek out.  So without further ado, TO THE BOOKS!

DC Comics The New 52 Week 2: Part 1

Well, the wait is finally over!  The New DCU is upon us, and whether you're ready or not, this week sees the release of 13 all new series.  It's strange, exciting, and truly a great time to be a fan of the medium of comics.  Now, on the review side, I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible with these reviews, mainly due to the fact that experiencing them yourself is paramount.  I'm also going to try to do full reviews for a lot of these new series, though time constraints and my current sanity level will prevent me from doing all of them.  That said, in these The New 52 Articles, I'll give you a quick rundown of what was good, what was not so good, and what are the books to seek out.  So without further ado, TO THE BOOKS!

DC Comics The New 52: Week 1

Well, the wait is finally over!  The New DCU is upon us, and whether you're ready or not, this week sees the release of 13 all new series.  It's strange, exciting, and truly a great time to be a fan of the medium of comics.  Now, on the review side, I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible with these reviews, mainly due to the fact that experiencing them yourself is paramount.  I'm also going to try to do full reviews for a lot of these new series, though time constraints and my current sanity level will prevent me from doing all of them.  That said, in these The New 52 Articles, I'll give you a quick rundown of what was good, what was not so good, and what are the books to seek out.  So without further ado, TO THE BOOKS!

Action Comics #1

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Rags Morales
Company: DC Comics

It's probably fairly apparent that when it comes to Grant Morrison, I've got a bit of a soft spot.  The ingenuity and approach that he has to comics as a medium of storytelling always amaze me.  Even when some of the stories falter, and that does happen, there's always something about the issue or graphic novel or story that is being told that finds a way of getting under my skin and ensorcelling my senses.  A few years ago, Morrison brought to life one of the the, if not the best, Superman story in the pages of All-Star Superman.  He captured the hope, spirit, and the magic with that story in ways that I didn't think we're possible, and he made Superman come alive.  Without a doubt, when it was announced that Morrison was the

Stormwatch #1

Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist: Miguel Sepulveda
Company: DC Comics

One of the bigger revelations that has come with the new DC Relaunch is the inclusion of the characters from the Wildstorm Universe.  It's a strange move, one that instantly makes your brain go, "What?"  These characters, at least some of them, are powerful and weird, so unlike anything that you would typically find roaming the regular haunts of say Star or Opal City.  So yes, Stormwatch was one of the books that held a dozen or so questions on top of the, "Would it be good?"  That Paul (Captain Britain and MI:13) Cornell was the man at the helm of this cross-dimensional brouhaha helped though.  He's a talented story teller, one who channels a bit of Warren Ellis with clever ideas, but forgoes the bitterness and hatred of

Green Arrow #1

Writer: J.T. Krul
Artist: Dan Jurgens
Company: DC Comics

Well, I guess we should get the really important thing out of the way first.  Oliver Queen no longer has facial hair.  Well, he sort of does, if a permanent 5 o'clock shadow counts as facial hair.  It's a weird thing to really worry about, but the internet is a strange place, and I've seen more references to things like this than I ever figured we would.  It really shouldn't matter.  What should matter is what's on the inside of the book.  It's been awhile since we've had a Green Arrow title that registered on my radar.  Part of that has to do with the stories of late, mainly having to do with a crazed Oliver Queen who lives in a forest and has cut himself off from the rest of the world.  That and him having outright murdered Prometheus.  Since then, I really couldn't get into the character anymore.

Batgirl #1

Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Adrian Syaf
Company: DC Comics

Batgirl and Gail Simone.  The two go together like jam and toast.  Like peanut butter and bananas.  For years, Simone's characterization of Barbara Gordon in the Birds of Prey title has enamored people and made her one of those characters to always root for.  She was the glue that held the team together, the one who never forgot that she was a hero, even when the chips were down.  She suffered for that at the hands of the Joker.  She was strong and always in control and never stopped.  Now, with the DC relaunch we get to see Barbara in a new light.  No longer is she behind the computer, fighting crime in her own unique and awesome way, she is back on the streets and swinging from rooftops, cracking heads and taking names.

O.M.A.C. #1

Writers: Dan Didio & Keith Giffen
Artists: Keith Giffen
Company: DC Comics

As unbelievable as it sounds, and it is a bit unbelievable, if you were a fan of Jack Kirby's run on OMAC, a trippy spiral into a sci-fi world and setting that dealt with crazy creations and concepts such as the Global Peace Agency and Pseudo-People Factory, this book will send you on a time travel trip composed of pure Silver Age entertainment and awesomeness.  Kirby's book, unfinished though it was, was at the latter end of his career with DC but still fit the bill of being high entertainment while dishing out a bit of social commentary as well.  There were also a lot of similarities with his other works Kamandi and his New Gods opus, that same grand feel of newness and vibrance, that made the story even better.  The tag

Animal Man #1

Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Travel Foreman
Company: DC Comics

To be completely honest, I wasn't sure how this book was going to go.  Animal Man, used in the more recent 52 storyline, peaked a few decades ago when Grant Morrison was doing his run for Vertigo.  That run made the character something more than your average and ordinary hero, and it created a world that was unique to its cast and was insanely fun to explore.  With Lemire, I wasn't sure what we were going to get in this version of Animal Man.  Sweet Tooth never quite caught my interest due to its dark and depressing nature, and his Frankenstein Flashpoint series, while good, felt a little abbreviated with only a mere three issues with which to tell a story that could have easily fit five or six.  So yes, there was trepidation for this specific title.

Amazing Spider-Man #668

Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Humberto Ramos
Company: Marvel Comics

The whole Spider-Island plot, kicking off in Amazing Spider-Man #666, started off fairly well.  It seemed to be that the "fun" was finally returning to the title and that Dan Slott, known for his off the beaten path humor and crazy stories, was finally returning to form after a bit of a hiatus.  It also proved to be a good jumping on point for anyone.  The characters, their motivations, the setting...All of it was laid out in a methodical and creative way.  It was extremely well done, I would say.  There were a few missteps though, most notable being the ties to the Clone Saga and some of the more notorious 90's characters and stories.  It was a bold move, but one that set my spider-sense a' tingling.

Blast From the Past: Superman Secret Identity

Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: Stuart Immonen
Company: DC Comics

It's no secret that Superman is one of the hardest characters to write.  He's a god, the brightest and best example of what man hopes and can hope to be.  Trying to hit on that in a story and make it memorable while at the same time making it approachable is a Herculean feat.  Hence the reason that a good Superman story, one that stands the test of time and has been branded into your mind, doesn't happen as often as you'd think.  It's strange then that Secret Identity, a book that really isn't a story starring the Superman that we all know and love, is one of the all-time best.  There's a lot of reasons for that, but mainly its due to two very gifted individuals:  Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen.

Wednesday Number Ones 8/30/11

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:   Angel & Faith #1, Epoch #1, The Rinse #1, Ultimate Comics Hawkeye, and Vescell #1.

Justice League #1

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Jim Lee
Company: DC Comics

Well, the wait is over...Here comes the Justice League.  Much has been speculated over these past few months, these oh so long months, since DC announced a relaunch to their entire Universe.  There have been skeptical comments, hushed whispers of problems behind the scenes, so many people making fun of popped collars, and of course, the great debate of whether or not Wonder Woman will have pants or sport her more classic attire.  Now though, the wait is over and we finally get to see just how Geoff (Green Lantern) Johns and Jim (X-Men/Batman: Hush) Lee set sail in this new and magical DCU.

So, now the big question:  How was it?

Batman Incorporated #8

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Scott Clark & Dave Beaty
Company: DC Comics

Word around the internet is that this issue of Batman Inc. is in fact the weakest, and for a finale, it doesn't do the book much justice.  On both of these counts, I am going to have to disagree.  Batman and Oracle running around in a digital world called Internet 3.0, fighting evil zombie-like malware icons while trying to save a group of financial backers from being turned into brainless lumps of life.  What's not to like here, folks?  Truthfully, Morrison really is a fantastic idea man.  Fun boils up in the strangest places, and excitement and enthusiasm are things that are always so prevalent in his work.  It's true that sometimes his execution is a little off though, and while I do think there are a few rocky moments with this issue, the

Wednesday Number Ones 8/24/11

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:   Bionic Man #1, Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter Tales The Legend of Drizzt #1, Superman Beyond #0, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, and Ultimate Comics Ultimates #1.

Week in Review 8/23/11

Captain America #2
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Steve McNiven
Company: Marvel Comics

A better overall outing than the first issue, Brubaker continues his trip through Captain America's secret history while at the same time putting together a story filled with action and solid character moments.  It still feels a little less than stellar than it probably should, but being able to delve into his World War II days and see a few familiar faces certainly pops, and the reveal towards the end is fairly notable and fun.  In a lot of ways, the book exudes a very classic comic book feel, hearkening back to the Gruenwald days of yore.  McNiven may in fact be the bigger draw here, however.  His

WE3 Deluxe Edition HC

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Frank Quitely
Company: Vertigo

It had been awhile since I had delved into the emotional and slightly unnerving depths of WE3, but it was almost a forgone conclusion when they solicited this deluxe hardcover version that I had to purchase it.  Not only is Grant Morrison one of my favorite writers, the story is damn good, and Quitely's art...Well, Quitely's art is sensational, startling, and a downright blood bath of entertainment.  For those who already have a copy of the book adorning their shelves, I will say that this collection is worth venturing out and picking up.  Not only is it in the oversize format, but the additional material that's packaged inside, everything from breakdowns to insight into the many crucial scenes of the book, is impressive.  Being able to hear

X-Men Schism #3

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Daniel Acuna
Company: Marvel Comics

What is Schism?  Tough question, as this series, which brings back the threat of the Hellfire Club and introduces some pint-sized villains that are bent on world domination, feels a little disjointed.  We've constantly been hearing that this is where the split between Cyclops and Wolverine will happen, that that is a huge issue that this book will deal with.  If that is the case, it's happening at a snails pace.  Sure, we've seen a few quibbles between the two characters as Sentinels run crazy around the world, but nothing that feels like it would mean the end for these two friends.  So again, what is Schism really about?  Well, let's delve a little deeper into the issue, Emma Frost style, and see what's what.  And no, I won't be wearing the outfit.

Daredevil #2

Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Paolo Rivera
Company: Marvel Comics

Elegantly orchestrated.  Elegantly executed.  Simply elegant.  That is what Mark Waid and Paolo Rivera have accomplished with this second issue of the new direction for everyone's favorite blind lawyer and savior of Hell's Kitchen.  The first issue was a wake up call, a blaring salvo that declared the end to the depressed and downtrodden Matt Murdock.  Those elements aren't forgotten about, nor are they ignored, but Waid returns the character to the more upbeat Swashbuckler that he was in the 90's, a turn that is refreshing and provides a point of re-invigoration. That coupled with art that has the keen ability to knock your socks off at every turn, and the notion that this is in fact one of the best books that either Marvel or DC is putting out, doesn't seem that crazy.

DCU - The End? Part 1

The end of an era is upon us as the new DCU relaunch is a mere three weeks away.  I figured that since endings are one of the hardest things to do in comics, not to mention things that have a tendency to disappoint, that it would be interesting to see how all of the different DC books closed their doors.  Did they finish up their running stories?  Did they supply closure to the characters that we have come to love over the last 25 years?  Were they fillers?  Were they satisfying?  Or did they really just flounder and feel unnecessary to the point where you have to wonder why exactly this was the way for them to say, "That's it, folks?"  Well, without further ado, let's see what there is to see.

Wednesday Number Ones 8/10/11

Wednesday Number Ones is a weekly feature here at Top 5 Comics. We take the books that are premiering a first issue from that week and give a quick opinion on them. From time to time we may also include more than issue number ones in this feature. If a noteworthy one-shot or the first issue of a new story arc is released, we may talk about it in this feature as well.

This week, we will cover:  Critter #1, Spider-Island Cloak & Dagger #1, and War Goddess #0.