WEEKLY WATCHER 2-16-2011

Hey there True Believers!
This week Marvel has a handful of great titles out there with interesting stories and truly compelling art. If you have any love for the “Steam Punk” look & feel then I highly suggest you check out the just plain odd series “S.H.I.E.L.D.”. The 6th issue comes out today – but it isn’t too late to jump in on this History and Science bending free for all. Other than it is just beautifully drawn – this story sports Nikola Tesla as a cyborg villain, and other great luminaries of scientific discovery as members of a clandestine brotherhood. It is strange. A little reaching in its grasp. But engaging to read – and just gorgeous to look at.

In fact this week has a slew of examples of how Marvel is really trying to put its best foot forward and some big boy pants on ( and finally play catch up to what DC has been doing for almost 20 years now…). You have the just plain manic stoner humor of “VENOM/DEADPOOL: WHAT IF?”. I don’t know if they were trying for the feel of “What if Deadpool wrote a comic” but the Merc with a Mouth’s personality translates in the pages in a dizzying fashion. UNCANNY X-FORCE is another title sporting lovely art – and a story line that handles very none comic’s code issues like the ethics of shooting child shaped monsters in the head, and explores further the story of the character Phantom X. Humberto Ramos continues his wonderfully kinetic run on “Amazing Spider-Man” with issue #654.1 (note the “point one” kiddies – this is a GREAT time to jump into Amazing Spider-man if you have not been keeping up). This issue debut’s the newest denizen of the 616 to dawn the helm of “Venom” – a must have for the hard core Spidey-nerd! Lastly I recommend picking up “WOLVERINE” #6. I have to admit I rolled my eyes with the whole “Wolverine goes to HELL” story idea – but this most recent issue is a pitch perfect blend of everything you want out of a Wolverine comic, great art, snarky humor (usually at Cyclop’s expense), and that trademark Wolverine true grit.

With out further ado here is the full list of comics, trades, posters out this week from Marvel.

Comics On-Sale:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #654.1

ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #5

AVENGERS ACADEMY #9

CAPTAIN AMERICA: MAN OUT OF TIME #4

CARNAGE #1 2ND PRINTING VARIANT

CARNAGE #2 2ND PRINTING VARIANT

DAREDEVIL: REBORN #2

DEADPOOL MAX #5

FORMIC WARS: BURNING EARTH #1

FORMIC WARS: BURNING EARTH #1 HITCH WRAPAROUND VARIANT

GENERATION HOPE #4

GENERATION HOPE #4 LAND VARIANT

HAWKEYE: BLINDSPOT #1

HEROES FOR HIRE #2 2ND PRINTING VARIANT

HULK #30

IRON MAN MAGAZINE #6

IRON MAN: RAPTURE #4

LOKI #3

MARVEL GIRL #1

S.H.I.E.L.D. #6

S.H.I.E.L.D. #6 HISTORICAL VARIANT

SILVER SURFER #1

SPIDER-GIRL #4

THUNDERBOLTS #153

UNCANNY X-FORCE #5

VENOM/DEADPOOL: WHAT IF?

WOLVERINE #6

WOLVERINE AND JUBILEE #2

Collections On-Sale:

AVENGERS & THE INFINITY GAUNTLET GN-TPB

CAPTAIN AMERICA BY JACK KIRBY OMNIBUS HC

CAPTAIN AMERICA: SCOURGE OF THE UNDERWORLD TPB

CAPTAIN AMERICA: SENTINEL OF LIBERTY HC

DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH – HEAD TRIP TPB

ESSENTIAL THOR VOL. 3 TPB (ALL-NEW EDITION)

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN VOL. 6: STARK RESILIENT BOOK 2 PREMIERE HC

SHADOWLAND: DAREDEVIL PREMIERE HC

SPIDER-MAN: THE GAUNTLET VOL. 5 – LIZARD TPB

SPIDER-WOMAN: AGENT OF S.W.O.R.D. TPB

THE STAND: HARDCASES PREMIERE HC

THOR & LOKI: BLOOD BROTHERS HC

X-MEN: CURSE OF THE MUTANTS PREMIERE HC

Posters On-Sale:

WOLVERINE BY MARKO DJURDJEVIC POSTER

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