I had my reservations about Skullkickers #1 but it won me over in the end. It was my first comic review for Big Shiny Robot! and I was pretty happy for it to be a good one. That’s why it seemed natural for me to review issue #2 (10/20/10) as well. Unfortunately, the second issue just doesn’t hold up to the first.

While I’m still liking Jim Zubkavich’s writing, there just isn’t anything happening in the new book. The art by Edwin Huang (lines) and Misty Coats (colors) is trying to keep it interesting, but it can only go so far. Ultimately, while still having some of the things I enjoyed from Issue #1, it just doesn’t have enough new stuff to excite me for #3.

Issue #2 starts once again with a fight scene. It actually picks up right where #1 left off but it took me a few panels to figure that out. Blame my poor memory, not the comic. And again the colors make this interesting, starting with a cool palette then shifting to warmer tones after a couple of pages.

Something I found very strange was the use of bizarre “narrative” passages in places where I would expect sound effects. This is hard to describe, but there are times it almost seems like a video game commentator is telling you what’s happening even as the panel shows it. For example, as the dwarf squares off with a zombie-beast-thing he holds up his axes and the panel says “weapons ready” next to each of them. It’s bizarre and I can’t decide if I like it or not.

Some thematic returns are the unconventional battle tactics and the sassy dialogue. In Issue #1 a werewolf is killed with a silver spoon. This time it’s an axe swipe to the testicles, a severed head and a cooking pot that get the improv honors. The dialogue, what there is of it, is humorous. Once again the dwarf gets the best line in the book: “Whores and Gold! That smells great!”

This issue still hasn’t revealed the names of the main characters, but it has given you something to call them – a necessity if you want your readers to talk about the book. The dwarf is called “Shorty” for obvious reasons. The larger human is called “Baldy” for equally obvious reasons. In a few panels Baldy’s appearance has a striking resemblance to the Age of Apocalypse version of Marvel’s Juggernaut.

And… that’s about it. Battle, quick dialogue scene, battle, weak cliffhanger ending. If you like splash panel fights you might enjoy it. I’d like a little more depth. Alright, a lot more depth. In fact, the most entertaining thing I found in this issue is the “Call and Response” section at the end. I think this would be a letters section if they had received any letters. Only the hints left in this area give me any promise of good things to come for the title.

Being pretty lenient with my scores, I am tempted to give this book a two of five based on benefit of the doubt. Maybe it’s a just a weak link to a great third part. But I can’t do it. So… one of five fantasy story tropes – and most of that one is just for potential.

Clang! Boom! Steam! took up writing duties for the Big Shiny Robot! column in IN This Week (aptly titled This Week IN Comics) to tell us about the Walking Dead event that Big Shiny Robot! is hosting at the end of October.

You can pick up IN Magazine at newsstands all over the greater Salt Lake area.

You can read the online version of the article here, or click to enlarge the laid out, image-based version below.

As far as details: The Walking Dead premieres on Halloween night and in the Mountain Standard timezone it begins at 10:00pm.  We’ll be presenting it along with the Geek Show Podcast at Brewvies Cinema Pub right after a costume contest and a special screening of 28 Days Later at 6:00pm.

Several months ago I heard about a comic book from Image called Chew that piqued my attention. The basics, as I heard them, is that the FDA is now the top law enforcement agency in the United States because of an outbreak of bird flu caused by chicken meat. Working for the FDA is Tony Chu, a cibopath. What’s a cibopath? Well, that’s a person who gets psychic impressions from anything he eats. As a consequence, he pretty much eats only canned beets. But he does occasionally taste blood or pieces of flesh from murder victims to help solve the crimes. Based on this, I wanted to read the comic.

But I’m basically a lazy person and I never got around to reading it until now. I had reservations about jumping into a series at issue 14, especially when it’s part 4 of 5 in the current story arc (Just Desserts). From what I’ve gathered, the series tries to do 5-part story arcs. So not only have I missed the first two arcs, I’ve missed 60% of the current one. Obviously I’m screwed, right? Well maybe not.

In the opening scene, with Tony proposing to some woman in a restaurant, I figured I was jumping into an established, current relationship. I was wrong, but that was made clear on page two. What was also clear is that this book is NUTS! I don’t want to make assertions about John Layman because I don’t know the man. But, if this is what happens in your head you might want to see a professional. On the other hand, you could just keep writing this and be entertaining as hell. I especially enjoy the remarkable subtlety. I need to find some back issues just so I can figure out whether the food references that seemed so plentiful in this book permeate the entire series.

As bizarre as the story becomes, the illustration kept me smiling on practically every panel. Rob Guillory fills every page. This book demands you really look at every frame. Sometimes I found myself inspecting the backgrounds so closely that I missed some of the foreground. There are subtle jokes everywhere. Some of my favorites were the mugging happening right behind Tony (in cop uniform) in a flashback, the cookbooks on his girlfriend’s shelf (odd, being that Tony only eats beets) and the villain wearing a mechanic jacket with “Hollis Mason” embroidered on it. But these fun tidbits aren’t even the best part of the artwork. Tony is drawn very angular, while many of those around him seem much softer. This dichotomy works well. The color palette seems bland, but very appropriate, especially when the panels shift tone and color together for cibopathic memory flashes.

Despite entering the story from way too late I didn’t actually feel lost. The minor characters are probably far more interesting to someone more well-versed in the title. I also expect the dialogue would have had a totally different impact with a better understanding of characters and reationships. The script does a very good job of showing new readers who characters are, their relationships to one another, and even the motivations for some of their actions. Long time readers are surely getting more from it than I am, but I didn’t feel as lost as I thought would be.

For sheer entertainment value, subtlety, humor, gross factor and over the top characters I have to give this comic five out five severed toes. For the sake of walking and balance, let’s say three from one foot and two from the other. If you’ve missed this series like I have you might want to wait until the next arc begins or catch up with back issues first. But if you want to jump in right now, don’t hesitate. It’s on sale now.

Ryan Ottley, the artist of Invincible (and friend of Big Shiny Robot! (really, go buy signed copies of Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark from the store)) posted the colored covers of Invincible #78 and #79 on his website today and they were too pretty not to share with you.

And spoiler alert:

Why do I get the feeling that the baby facing away from us on the cover of 79 is Mark and Eve’s baby?

That would be rad.

I was trolling a French movie site and they posted this video of an opening credits sequence for The Walking Dead.

Since I couldn’t understand any of the French that introduced the clip, I assumed this had to be the real deal. Thanks to the wonders of Google Translate, I was able to determine that these were fan made, but they’re still incredibly well rendered.

These are very good and got me pumped for the show. I can’t imagine what Frank Darabont will actually come up with, but if it’s better than this, my brain might explode when we finally see the real thing.

THE WALKING DEAD “Opening Titles” from Daniel Kanemoto on Vimeo.

AMC has given us another Behind the Scenes look at The Walking Dead!

There’s moments in this piece that gave me the chills.  Particularly a moment between Shane and Lori.  Man… Robert Kirkman and Frank Darabont look like they’ve knocked this one out of the park.

The Walking Dead seems like it’s already MUST-SEE television and the first show hasn’t even aired yet.

It looks amazing, and I can’t wait to see it with all of you guys on Halloween Night.

Life’s hard enough when you’re a human. But what if you’re half human and half dragon?!

Teenager Duncan Rosenblatt has a human mother and a giant, city-stomping, kaiju father. He also has all the worries of a normal high schooler, from bullies to girls to fitting in. His adventures continue on December 1, 2010, with the release of FIREBREATHER VOL. 3: HOLMGANG #1 from Image Comics.

Written by Phil Hester and drawn by Andy Kuhn, FIREBREATHER VOL. 3: HOLMGANG picks up where FIREBREATHER VOL. 2 left off: Duncan deals with not only losing his father but with keeping his father’s death a secret, even from his mother. But Duncan’s mysterious extended family may not let him keep that secret — or his life — much longer.

“It feels great to be back in the saddle on Firebreather.” says Hester. “There’s a great deal of Duncan’s story left to tell, and we’re thrilled that Image has given us free reign to do so. Andy Kuhn is pulling out all the stops on the art and Bill Crabtree is doing the best work of his career on colors. I can’t wait for you all to see this.”

“Phil Hester is one of the best writers in comics,” adds Kuhn, “and I’m proud to be drawing the next chapter in the Firebreather saga. Every script I get is better than the last. Strap yourselves in, this is gonna be one helluva ride!”

FIREBREATHER VOL. 3: HOLMGANG #1 (of 4) (OCT100443), a 32-page full-color comic book for $3.99, will be in stores December 1, 2010. FIREBREATHER VOL. 1: GROWING PAINS ($14.99, APR090360) and FIREBREATHER VOL. 2: ALL THE BEST HEROES ARE ORPHANS ($16.99, AUG082239) are available now. Firebreather joins forces with Ron Marz’s Dragon Prince in FIREBREATHER VS. DRAGON PRINCE, a 120-page full-color one shot for $7.99 that will be in stores November 17, 2010. Finally, don’t miss the FIREBREATHER movie, premiering on Cartoon Network this November!

–Marvel Preview: Daken: Dark Wolverine #2

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Daken: Dark Wolverine #2 from the creative team of Marjorie Liu, Daniel Way and Giuseppe Camuncoli! Now, with his father Wolverine trapped in Hell, Daken makes the first move towards his ultimate goal—world domination. But was he a part of sending Wolverine’s soul to Hell? And in the absence of the only man who can stop him, will anyone be able to put an end to Daken’s dark ascension? Find out this October to see if anyone stands a chance against this cerebral assassin in Daken: Dark Wolverine #2!

Plus, if you missed all of the exhilarating action in the sold-out first issue, be sure to pick up Daken: Dark Wolverine #1 Second Printing Variant!

Ian Churchill brings his all new series MARINEMAN to Image Comics in December

Berkeley, CA – 23 September 2010 – This December will see the release of an all-new Image Comics series chronicling the adventures of a new defender of the oceanic frontier — MARINEMAN!

Superstar artist Ian Churchill (ELEPHANTMEN, Hulk, Supergirl, Uncanny X-Men) takes on the duties of both artist and writer to bring MARINEMAN to vivid life in this new creator-owned series. The first issue of MARINEMAN will be in stores December 1.

Churchill explains, “When I created MARINEMAN over thirty years ago, I always dreamt that one day I would be lucky enough to write and draw comic books professionally and get the opportunity to bring MARINEMAN to as wide an audience as possible. Thanks to Image Comics, my dream is becoming a reality! I hope everyone takes the plunge and rides the wave with me!”

Steve “MARINEMAN” Ocean is a marine biologist and TV presenter — a man blessed with good looks, a good job, a good circle of friends and a life many would aspire to. But Steve Ocean also has a secret — a secret, which, if revealed, could have perilous consequences for Ocean and everyone in his life. With underwater action and adventure all the way, MARINEMAN may just turn out to be the comic book you didn’t know you were missing!

MARINEMAN #1 (OCT100442), a 32-page full-color comic book written and drawn by Ian Churchill and released by Image Comics, will be on sale for $3.99 on December 1, 2010.

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Captain America: Patriot #3 (of 4), from the critically lauded creative team of writer Karl Kesel and artist Mitch Breitweiser! Jeff Mace is the new Captain America, but if he wants to carry on the legacy of Steve Rogers, he will have to lead the All Winners Squad to victory in their greatest battle yet!

Fans and critics agree – Captain America: Patriot is a hit!

“…thanks to the Mitch Breitweiser’s artwork and Karl Kesel’s script the book quickly took shape and made it easy to cheer on The Patriot in his quest to live up to his idol Captain America.” – Dan Iverson, IGN.com

“Wow… this was one of the best comics I’ve read in a while.” – Zach Freeman, ComicVine.com

“Captain America: Patriot #1 really succeeds because both the art and the writing match the 1940s setting. Karl Kesel’s dialogue crackles with the energy of an old screwball comedy, with a good ear for old-timey slang that never sounds affected, and playfully alliterative newspaper headlines.” – George Chimples, MajorSpoilers.com

When Bucky is fatally wounded, will a traitor stand revealed in their ranks? And, with no one to trust, could a mysterious new costumed heroine hold the answers?  Find out the answers to these questions and more in Captain America: Patriot #3 (of 4), on sale this October!

This December, Image Comics gets festive with the release of DYNAMO 5 HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2010 and SANTA CLAUS VS. THE MARTIANS!

DYNAMO 5 for the Holidays!

It’s the holiday season in Tower City, but the Dynamo 5 kids don’t get any time off. They’re busy tracking down one of Captain Dynamo’s old enemies, who has escaped from prison. But is there more to this simple escape than meets the eye?

Written by Jay Faerber, with art by Marcio Takara and a cover by Mahmud A. Asrar and Ron Riley, DYNAMO 5 HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2010 will be in stores December 22, 2010. CHEW artist Rob Guillory provided a special incentive cover as well.

“The Dynamo 5 Holiday Special gives us our first look at how Tower City’s resident superheroes celebrate the holidays,” explains Faerber. “The kids have to juggle their ‘real’ families along with their superhero family — plus they have to make time to track down an old enemy who escaped from prison. In addition to telling a complete stand-alone story, this Holiday Special also lays the groundwork for the big event coming to Dynamo 5 in 2011.”

Father Christmas Faces Off Against Space Invaders!

For centuries, one man has patrolled the night, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked, protecting children from all manner of dangers. So, when a mysterious canister falls from the sky and crash lands in the peaceful English countryside, only Father Christmas can put an end to the threat of invasion from the Red Planet!

SANTA CLAUS VS. THE MARTIANS is a four-issue miniseries written by Benito Cereno and drawn by James Harren with covers by Nate Bellegarde. The first issue does on sale December 1, 2010

According to Cereno, “SANTA CLAUS VS. THE MARTIANS takes its inspiration from the high concept of the famously terrible B-movie SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS. Rather than being an adaptation or remake, it uses the basic idea as a springboard for an epic battle that explores the way our culture has looked at the Christmas gift-giver and invaders from space over the course of three centuries. Whatever your favorite bit of the Santa mythology or whatever your preferred form of Martian, chances are good you will see it within the pages of this mini-series!”

Join Image Comics in the holiday spirit with DYNAMO 5 HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2010 (OCT100456; INCV: OCT100457), a 32-page full-color comic book for $3.99 that will be available December 22, 2010, and SANTA CLAUS VS. THE MARTIANS #1 (of 4) (OCT100462), a 32-page full-color comic book for $3.50 that will be in stores December 1, 2010.

We told you Three was going to be universe shattering, and yesterday fans all over the world came out in droves to witness that first hand! Fantastic Four #583, along with all its stunning variants, sold out before a single issue hit store shelves! Now, due to overwhelming demand, Fantastic Four #583 Second Printing Variant is on its way!

Superstar writer Jonathan Hickman and esteemed artist Steve Epting kick off Three, a pivotal moment in the career of Marvel’s Finest Family! Three redefines the very destiny of the Fantastic Four when a beloved member falls! The end of the Four begins in Fantastic Four #583 Second Printing Variant!

Readers will also be pleased to hear that the next chapter of Three hits stores the same day as Fantastic Four #583 Second Printing Variant with Fantastic Four #584!

The two-time Harvey Award-winning and critically praised series THE MICE TEMPLAR starts a new chapter this December with THE MICE TEMPLAR VOL. 3 #1.

Co-written by Bryan JL Glass (Thor: First Thunder, Valkyrie) and Michael Avon Oeming (Powers, Thor: Blood Oath), THE MICE TEMPLAR VOL. 3 picks up after the gripping events of the second volume, making it a perfect place for new readers to pick up the series. Oeming, Victor Santos and Veronica Gandini continue to provide striking art for the series.

“Volume Three is a perfect opportunity for new readers to join in on the unfolding action and drama,” says Glass. “The saga of Karic has come to an end, and now the Dark Lands prepare for war in the wake of his audacious exploits at the end of DESTINY! The scattered Templar exiles join forces with the female Maeven archers to defend against growing oppression from the rat army, and their alliance with the Mortair, sisterhood of assassins!”

THE MICE TEMPLAR continues with a perfect starting point for new readers! Karic has accomplished his goal-the rescue of his family from captivity-but their freedom has come with a terrible price. Karic now lies comatose, his spirit lost to a realm of nightmare. Yet Cassius risks all for the young mouse who restored his faith, even death at the blade of his old Templar rival Ronan. Meanwhile, the druids and the rat army unleash a new wave of tyranny in retaliation for Karic’s audacious attack. Only the heroic Maeven archers can stand against the Mortair, the deadly sisterhood of rat assassins!

THE MICE TEMPLAR VOL. 3 #1, a 32-page full-color comic book for $3.99, will be in stores December 22, 2010. You can catch up with the series by picking up THE MICE TEMPLAR VOL. 1 (HC: AUG082241; TP: APR090362), THE MICE TEMPLAR VOL. 2.1 (TP: APR100431), and THE MICE TEMPLAR VOL. 2.2 (HC: MAY100456; TP: JUL100417, in stores November 17, 2010).

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Shadowland #4, the latest jaw-dropping chapter in the sold out series from creators Andy Diggle and Billy Tan! After last issue’s shocking revelation about Daredevil, the alliance of Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher, and Ghost Rider now know they may be too late to stop Murdock’s rise to power. But if they can’t save The Man Without Fear, all of New York—and the Marvel Universe—will fall to a darkness unlike any it’s ever seen. The final battle begins in Shadowland #4!

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Avengers vs. Pet Avengers #1 (of 4), from the creative team of fan favorite writer Chris Eliopoulos and artist Ig Guara! Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are downsizing. Literally. With Thor, Iron Man and Captain America mysteriously transformed into amphibians, can they possibly defeat a legion of dragons led by none other than Fing Fang Foom? Not without the help of Earth’s Mightiest Pets, Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers!  Worlds collide this October in Avengers vs. Pet Avengers #1 (of 4)!

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at New Avengers #5, from the superstar creative team of Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen! The Earth has been invaded by a near-limitless amount of extra dimensional demons and the very fiber of reality is tearing itself apart. With their options exhausted, one of the New Avengers must make the ultimate sacrifice to save the Marvel Universe. Don’t miss New Avengers #5!

MORNING GLORIES #1 has done it a third time, with another distribution level sellout, and to meet continued demand, it’s going back to press for a fourth and final printing! This new printing will feature an all-new cover by interior artist Joe Eisma.

MORNING GLORIES is written by Nick Spencer, the burgeoning creative mastermind behind FORGETLESS, EXISTENCE 2.0 and 3.0, and SHUDDERTOWN. Eisma pencils and inks the series, and Rodin Esquejo provides the gorgeous covers.

Shadowline Publisher and Image partner Jim Valentino exclaims, “We are completely blown away and eternally grateful to the fans and retailers who have made this the biggest hit in Shadowline history!”

MORNING GLORIES: Morning Glory Academy is one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country. But behind its hallowed doors, something sinister and deadly lurks. When six brilliant but troubled new students arrive, they find themselves trapped and desperately seeking answers in a place where nothing is what it seems to be!

MORNING GLORIES #1 Fourth Printing (AUG108116), a 32-page full-color comic book for $3.50, will be in stores October 20, 2010. The second printing of MORNING GLORIES #2 (AUG108012) will be in stores September 29, 2010. MORNING GLORIES #3 (AUG100483) will be in stores October 20, which means retailers still have time to increase orders of the third issue of this unstoppable series.

I haven’t read a comic book in years and a Witchblade comic in an even longer time, but I volunteered to review Image Comics’ Witchblade #138 regardless.

And boy, am I glad I did.

I’m only somewhat familiar with Sara Pezzini, but the first page of the comic reminds us that she is a police detective and is in possession of the Witchblade, an ancient artifact that she wears as a gauntlet. It acts as a balance between the dark and the light. Sara’s family consists of her daughter Hope and sister Julie, but we quickly learn that Julie has been shot and killed by cyborg assassin Aphrodite IV, and Hope is missing.

And so . . . the story begins.

This is not a typical comic book. Beyond the first and last pages, there are no panels. Instead, each page is a single illustration worthy of appearing as cover art.  This is also not a tale about Sara Pezzini.  The locale is a distant realm, and the saga began “Once upon a time.”

The tale itself is relatively simple: a warrior named Sara is captain of the Queen’s Guard and must keep the Queen and her kingdom safe from a myriad of threats.  A sorcerer named Lord Irons (Kenneth Irons is the previous owner of the Witchblade until Sara Pezzini took it from him) covets the kingdom and allies himself with demons and the assassin Nottingham to claim it as his own.

But what does this fairy tale have to do with Sara Pezzini, her sister, or Hope? Naturally, the answer is revealed at the end. Until then, just sit back and enjoy the epic tale as it unfolds. 

Writer Ron Marz and artist Stjepan Sejic have collaborated wonderfully on this issue. Though I am not familiar with their work, I am certainly eager to see more of Sejic’s art. I am reminded of the Hildebrandt brothers by the style and use of color. Each page is a wonder, beautifully rendered.

I wholeheartedly recommend this issue. It intrigues me enough that I may continue reading the series, and that’s quite a statement since I generally only read Star Wars comics.

Witchblade #138 hits comic stores on Wednesday.

—Marvel Preview: X-Men #4

—Marvel Announces “Heroes for Hire” to Start in December

—Marvel Teases the Return of the Illuminati

—Black Panther is the new “Man Without Fear”

Marvel is pleased to announce that best-selling author David Liss and the acclaimed artist Francesco Francavilla will be launching the all-new Black Panther: The Man Without Fear this December! The smoke has cleared from the ruins of Shadowland and a new protector of Hell’s Kitchen is on the prowl. His name is T’Challa, the Blank Panther! In a city without Daredevil and a dangerous knew foe called Vlad the Impaler consolidating power in the underworld, the Black Panther must learn to become a new type of hero. Without his riches, his technology, and his kingdom can T’Challa truly be the man without fear? Find out in Black Panther: The Man Without Fear #513!

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—Image Releases Teaser for “The Walking Dead” #80

—Larfleeze Celebrates the Holidays With His Own Christmas Special

What do you get for the Lantern who wants everything?

This December, Orange Lantern Larfleeze, who’s never seen anything he didn’t want for his own, has his hopes set on everything Christmas-related, including Santa Claus. And nothing, not even the heroes that populate the DCU are going to stand in his way.

Featuring words by GREEN LANTERN mastermind Geoff Johns with art by Brett Booth and a sterling Gene Ha cover, the one-shot special also includes a peek into how the other members of the Orange Lantern Corps celebrate the holidays. Click below for Ha’s cover and prepare for the weirdest and craziest sleigh ride ever.

—Marvel Preview: I Am An Avenger #2

Marvel is pleased to announce your first look at I Am An Avenger #2, featuring the return of acclaimed writer Greg Rucka along with Sean McKeever, Paul Tobin, Mike Mayhew and more! The star-studded Avengers anthology continues! Witness Captain America pay tribute to those who fell at the Siege of Asgard. Watch romance ignite between Firestar and Justice! See the Avengers like you’ve never seen them before in an array of new and exciting tales in I Am An Avenger #2!

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—A Look at the Cover to January’s Issue of Detective Comics

—Giffen and Levitz Revisit The Legion Together

This news broke over at DC’s blog, The Source.

Okay, I’m just gonna geek out and shout it to the heavens:

PAUL LEVITZ AND KEITH GIFFEN ARE REUNITING ON THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES!!!

And I get to edit it! Whee!! You have to understand what this monumental development means to me personally.

Y’see, Paul and Keith transformed the Legion from an enduring DC franchise into one of the most popular and dynamic comic book series of the 1980s. With an entire 30th century future world at their command, they crafted the most innovative, break-the-mold superhero world anyone had ever read up to that point. Their names were spoken in the same breath as Frank Miller, Chris Claremont and Wolfman/Pérez.

For me and the many other fanboys of Generation X, Paul and Keith did the seemingly impossible: They made me a Legion fan. For life.

I admit, back in 1985, my 14-year-old self felt names like “Lightning Lad” and “Cosmic Boy” sounded really silly. No way I was going to invest in characters with those names, right?

Then I somehow stumbled upon TALES OF THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #326, which affordably reprinted Paul and Keith’s all-new LEGION series a year after their original release. This one reprinted issue #1. It must have been a slow week for me to even crack open the cover. It began with a collection of psychopaths called the Legion of Super-Villains who each took a blood oath to kill a Legionnaire. One of them tortured his own sister by jolting her with massive amounts of electricity. Another literally melted a lowly waitress alive with a molten kiss, just for the fun of it! Sick stuff. And yet, these Legionnaires refused to back off. I was really impressed. I wanted to know more about these guys, even if their names were “Saturn Girl” and “Ultra Boy.” They stopped being silly and became as serious as a heart attack.

Then Keith left the series shortly thereafter, and Paul flew solo for a long while. Then Keith came back to do the last year on that series with Paul—and I defy anyone to tell me issue #53’s “The Trial of Brainiac 5” isn’t awesome—and then Paul left the series for Keith to do solo.

That was 1989. The two never collaborated on the Legion again. That is, until this December, when they come together again on the oversized LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES ANNUAL #1. It introduces an all-new, all-psycho Emerald Empress—and just hearing the twisted stuff they have in store fills this Legion fan with utter glee.

In fact, Keith just sent me his first pages, and they look gorgeous. He’s mixing Kirby with his ’90s Legion style and a modern sensibility. I look at the Xeroxes on my desk, and I know it’s REAL. It’s happening.

It reminded me why I’m a Legion fan in the first place.

P.S. You know what’s REALLY weird? This is Paul and Keith’s third “LEGION ANNUAL #1.” They did one in 1982, 1985 and now in 2010. Third time’s the charm, they say!

—Marvel Teases: “All New All Different” for December

—Marvel Preview: Wolverine #2

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Wolverine #2 from the acclaimed creative team of Jason Aaron and Renato Guedes! Stuck in Hell, Wolverine must come face to face with everyone he’s ever killed! Meanwhile, back in the land of the living, Logan’s demonically-possessed body is still running amuck and Mystique may be the only one who can stop it! Can Wolverine battle the Legion of the Damned and make it out alive? Find out this October in Wolverine #2!

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—Ardian Syaf Joins “Birds of Prey” as its New Artist

Starting in December, the Birds of Prey will get a new member – to their creative team, that is.

Hot off a stint on GREEN LANTERN CORPS and BRIGHTEST DAY, Ardian Syaf steps in as the regular artist on the series, joining forces with regular writer Gail Simone. And Syaf is stepping in just in time, as the series continues to kick things into high gear, with a new arc starting in December titled “The Death of Oracle.”

BIRDS OF PREY Editor Janelle Siegel was kind enough to show off a few pages of Ardian’s art, and it seems she’s as excited as we are about the new addition:

“I’ve been a fan of Ardian’s work for quite some time, so I jumped at the chance to have him on Birds of Prey. He’s a great fit for the book because he is an immensely talented artist with a gift for storytelling and action and he’s also great at drawing beautiful women! We couldn’t ask for a better combination than that for the kind of stories we’re telling in Birds of Prey right now.”

Oh, and about that art…

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—Marvel Preview: Invincible Iron-Man #31

Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Invincible Iron Man #31, the latest explosive chapter of “Stark Resilient” from the Eisner Award-winning team of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca!  Tony Stark has spent the past year reassembling his empire, suit and psyche…only to find himself head-to-head against Hammer family at every turn. Just how does Stark Resilient’s first public demonstration at the Seattle Tech Expo play into their master plan?  And Detroit Steel has gone viral…could he inadvertently put an end to them both?  Just when things are looking up for Tony, the stakes get higher in Invincible Iron Man #31, on sale this October!

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Previously on Dynamo 5 – Sins of the Father: Mega-hero Captain Dynamo was one of the most powerful heroes on the planet, he was also a bit of a philanderer, so after he died, his 5 illegitimate children each inherited one of his great powers. Now, the legacy of one of dear old dad’s greatest battles has hit the 5 smack dab in the face (literally). The battle has been raging, with heroes all over the Image Universe lending a hand. Now Dynamo 5 is on the verge of surrendering our issue opens…

You can’t fault Jay Faerber for not giving you bang for your buck! In this issue we’re fully introduced to a new super-team which may or may not have Captain Dynamo himself as a member, a possible death of a hero, and an absurd (yet awesome) two-page spread featuring a massive humpback whale! This is all wrapped inside the massive fracas that this mini revolves around. It seems that FLAG, one of those clandestine-type government organizations that just happens to have a connection to Dynamo 5, has decided that the team is not doing their best. They send their own team, The Primaries, to clean things up. After flaunting their supposed superiority a bit, The Primaries, Dynamo 5, and various unaffiliated Image heroes team up to fight their common enemies. There is a lot of the great character work that Faerber is known for. This is good, seeing as the whole issue is a fight scene, makes it read just a bit quickly. Everything comes to a head when D5 member Smasher’s girlfriend Firebird gets to do her impression of a shish kebab. This of course sends the man into a frenzy where he promptly… teleports away? Not quite it seems, as the story ends we see Smasher making a choice to finally end the melee, but will it be for the good of everyone? We’ll have to tune in next time to find out!

As for the Notorious backup, things are coming to a head there as well. Mobster turned hero (but still mobster) Notorious is ambushed, by an assassin hired to kill him by the mob he is trying to take down from the inside, but he ultimately comes out on top. The next day he finds himself given the opportunity he’s been looking for since he started this business of playing “hero” and starts to set up his final revenge. I wouldn’t be too surprised if the mobsters he’s working with/against aren’t wise to him, but again we’ll have to wait and see until next issue.

Overall, I would have to give this issue 3.5 dead humans. It’s a good issue, but it is also the penultimate issue of a mini-series, meaning if you are starting from this point you’ll be lost. I am sure it’ll read well in the inevitable trade. I also took slight marks off for the main feature’s art by Júlio Brilha. It’s perfectly suitable, and not “bad” per se, but I think he might benefit a bit if he had someone else inking over him rather than have him do double duty.

DYNAMO 5: SINS OF THE FATHER #4 (of 5)
story JAY FAERBER
art JULIO BRILHA
cover MAHMUD A. ASRAR & RON RILEY
incentive cover CORY WALKER & RON RILEY
SEPTEMBER 22
32 PAGES / FC
$3.99

Thanks to guest writer Shaz-Bot! for this thorough review. You can read his random, directionless blog at Epic Randomness