ArtisticallyChill

With the Irken Elite back in our hands, we no longer have to walk in this cold weather to the comic book store! Pretty light week, and I ended picking up the second to last issue of Robin which was part 6 of a story arc, so I guess that means I’ll have to hunt for the previous 5 issues next time I’m in the store. The only reason it was in my pile was that I wanted to know where this title, as well as Nightwing, was going after the Batman R.I.P. storyline (which I’m still confused on, and must re-read). And with this whole Face of Evil thing going on, do I bother getting the one-shots to feed my completionist disorder? Maybe I’ll wait for the collected hardcover graphic novel.

• ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL # 16
• ASTONISHING X-MEN # 28
• FATHOM # 5
• FINAL CRISIS: SUPERMAN BEYOND # 2 [OF 2]
• GREEN LANTERN # 37
• JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA # 29
• ROBIN # 182
• TANGENT: SUPERMAN’S REIGN # 11 [OF 12]
• TRINITY # 34
• UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL # 2
• WOLVERINE: ORIGINS # 32
• X-FACTOR # 39
• X-MEN: LEGACY # 220
• X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY # 5

THIS WEEK’S PICK: ASTONISHING X-MEN # 28

COVER BY: SIMONE BIANCHI
WRITER: WARREN ELLIS
PENCILS: SIMONE BIANCHI
INKS: SIMONE BIANCHI
COLORED BY: SIMONE PERUZZI
LETTERED BY: CHRIS ELIOPOULOS

THE STORY:
“GHOST BOX,” PART 4
Big action. Big Science. And a Big Mystery to solve! The superstar team of Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi take the X-Men on a mission that will take them into mind-bending and previously uncharted territory — one that will test them — and their leader Cyclops — to their very core.

~ LoneWolf

Serena and I couldn’t pick up our comics due to work getting in the way so we picked up our comics the next day because we never go to the comic book store to pick up our comics without each other. *AWWWWW* This week we find ourselves suckered into wasting money buying more Secret Invasion Tie-ins with X-men and Runaways/Young Avengers.

This week, we’ve got:

• ASTONISHING X-MEN # 26
• GENEXT # 4
• HALO: UPRISING # 3
• SECRET INVASION # 5
• RUNAWAYS/YOUNG AVENGERS: SECRET INVASION # 2
• X-MEN ORIGINS: JEAN GREY [One-Shot]
• X-MEN: SECRET INVASION # 1
• BATMAN # 679 [BATMAN R.I.P.]
• BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL # 20
• BOOSTER GOLD # 11
• FINAL CRISIS: REVELATIONS #1
• GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY # 11
• GREEN LANTERN CORPS # 27
• TRINITY # 11
• ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL # 11

NOT SURPRISED BY IT’S AWESOMENESS: ASTONISHING X-MEN # 26

The superstar team of Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi take the X-Men to the “Second Stage”!

“Messiah Complex” pulled the X-Men team together, “Divided We Stand” tore them apart. Now the X-Men are back to business — with a new look, a new base of operations, and a mystery to solve that will take them into previously uncharted territory and test them to their core. It all starts on a spaceship hovering 300 hundred feet above the twisted wreckage of Chaparanga Beach. Its sole inhabitant: the mysterious Subject X. Five minutes — just five minutes is all he needs, all he’s asking for.

Can the X-Men afford to give it to him?

Warren Ellis‘ writing continues to keep the edge of this title sharp! The dialogue and humor make reading this comic at a leisurely pace satisfying til the end. Simone Bianchi‘s artwork certainly has it’s own charm that breathes excitement to this book. If you haven’t picked up an X-men comic in a while, this collaboration is definitely a good jumping on point. Issue # 25 has already gone into 2nd printing, so there’s still a chance for you to pick up this title and bask in it’s awesomeness until the next creative team shift!

~ LoneWolf

I don’t know why I feel I should be caught up with comics. I mean, it’s not like I have anyone to talk to about them. My cousin, is usually 3 weeks or more behind, with stacks organized neatly somewhere in his office area. I’ve tried to get Serena caught up but she’s been busy with getting ready for this year’s Wizard World up to this past weekend. Now, with the convention over, she still has a few commissions to finish up as well as some portraits requested by one of her uncles. It maybe at least two months before she starts reading again.

Since we held off picking up comics last week before Wizard World, hence the lack of It’s New Comics Day post, this week’s pickup was ginormous. Luckily, most of it was paid off since Keith wanted to buy the Catwoman sketch for $50. Instead of cash, we asked him to pay us in comics. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. The money was gonna end up being spent anyway, right? ;p

So here’s what we got:

Marvel:

• ASTONISHING X-MEN # 25 *
• AVENGERS FAIRY TALES # 3 (of 4)
• CABLE # 5
• CAPTAIN AMERICA # 39
• NEW WARRIORS # 13
• RUNAWAYS # 30 (Joss Whedon’s Vol. 2 finale!)*
• WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS # 4
• WOLVERINE ORIGINS # 26
• X-MEN FIRST CLASS # 13
• X-MEN LEGACY # 213
• UNCANNY X=MEN # 499

DC:

• BATMAN # 678 (R.I.P.)*
• FINAL CRISIS # 2 (of 7)*
• GREEN LANTERN # 32 *
• TANGENT: SUPERMAN’S REIGN # 4 (of 12)
• THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES # 43
• TRINITY # 4
• TRINITY # 5

OTHER:

• ANGEL # 10 *
• ANNA MERCURY # 2 *
• BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, SEASON 8 # 16 *
• CLOCKWORK GIRL # 4 (of 4)
• PROJECT SUPERPOWERS # 4
• TERRY MOORE’S ECHO # 4 *
• THE WALKING DEAD TPB VOL. 8

TOP PICK FROM THIS GINORMOUS PILE: ASTONISHING X-MEN # 25
It’s the book you’ve been waiting for. The superstar team of Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi are ready to take the X-Men to the “Second Stage”! “Messiah CompleX” pulled the X-Men team together, “Divided We Stand” tore them apart. Now the X-Men are back to business — with a new look, a new base of operations, and a mystery to solve that will take them into previously uncharted territory and test them to their core!

After “Divided We Stand” being more of a transitional period for the X-men, I’m definitely ready for some solid stories, and who better to pick up the writer’s pen after Whedon’s truly astonishing run than Warren Ellis? With his unique writing coupled with Simone Bianchi’s unique art style, Astonishing X-Men continues to surprise me and keep it’s title of MY FAVORITE X-BOOK.

With such a huge pile to get caught up on plus the DOKTOR SLEEPLESS issues I picked up at this past Wizard World Chicago, I don’t think I can just settle on just one MUST READ title for this week. So any titles marked with an * are definitely ones you should be reading!

~ LoneWolf