My weekly round-up of comics returns. Today's installment features more comics than ever, including one starring Silver The Hedgehog. Perfect!
Comics You Should Consider Buying
Deadpool Max #5: Because Kyle Baker draws some of the most energetic comics out there and David Lapham writes some of the most cleverly inappropriate ones.
Doom Patrol #19: Doom Patrol was just canceled, probably because whenever a Doom Patrol series is launched, it is relatively close to being canceled. It's too bad. This Doom Patrol wasn't an easy read, but it's been a rich one. The comic is about a bunch of freak super-heroes, a team that is no more popular in their world than they are in ours. Before this series is a corpse, try it. It's been very good.
Dungeons & Dragons #4: I'm recommending a Dungeons & Dragons comic to you. Really. The writer, John Rogers, is creative. In the previous issue, he had a macho human hero defeat a smart, powerful orc in a duel by kissing him. This s good stuff, I assure you.
Human Target Second Chances: (collection) Technically, this is just another bunch of stories about contract killers and a guy who poses as their would-be victims in order to foil there plots. But unlike the Human Target TV show or other series, this volume's stories, written by Peter Milligan, are mind-bending. The reader and the human target himself, often didn't know who the human target really is. Identity confusion abounds. This comic will play tricks on you, in a very good way.
Infinite Vacation #1 (second printing): I don't even know what it's about, but Nick Spencer wrote it. That guy wrote an amazing issue of Supergirl, his T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents is wonderful and his Jimmy Olsen back-up in Action Comics was a pleasure. He's earned my money, sight unseen. This is the second printing of Infinite Vacation's first issue. The first sold out of the shop I go to. I hear Spencer's comics tend to do that.
Comics With Video Game Connections
DC Universe Online Legends #2: Second issue of the 26-issue twice-monthly series spinning out of the PS3 and PC MMO.
Gears of War Book 2: Collects issues 7-13 of the monthly series, some of them co-written by Epic Games boss Mike Capps. These issues are set between the events of the first two games.
Mass Effect Evolution #2: More of the Illusive Man's origin story. Too bad I already forgot what happened in the first issue. One of the comic's writers is Mac Walters, who wrote Mass Effect 2, so this mini-series is legit.
Ratchet and Clank #6: Final issue. Official summary: "Artemis Zogg's warship has been destroyed, but the battle isn't over for Ratchet and Clank. In order to undo Zogg's havoc and restore the stolen planets to their rightful galaxies, the duo will once again have to team up with President Qwark in this final, fun-filled issue!"
Silent Hill Past Life #4: Official summary: "Jebediah 'Hellrider' Foster's dark outlaw past has finally caught up to him, and he must face the horrifying realities of his old sins, as well as the burgeoning arcane powers of Silent Hill itself. The terror that follows may very well consume all he now holds dear. Written by Tom Waltz (Silent Hill: Sinner's Reward and the Silent Hill 8 videogame)."
Sonic Universe #25: Official summary: "Patrick 'SPAZ' Spaziante The Silver Saga arrives! Featuring a special 'Anniversary Edition' shining silver cover, the highly anticipated four-part adventure begins this month. A strange new threat arrives in Silver the Hedgehog's time!"
And Over On The iPad…
The second issue of Alan Moore and J.H. Williams III's gorgeous Promethea is available on Comixology's App store. Originally this series just seemed like the great Moore (Watchmen, From Hell) writing a more mystical Wonder Woman, but it eventually becomes one of the most complexly-drafted and beautifully-illustrated explorations of magical theory and thought ever committed to comics pages. Comixology also has Warren Ellis' lunatic super-hero series Nextwave: Agents of HATE, a non-serious six-issue super-hero adventure that climaxes with the best fight scene in comics history. (I'm not wrong about that.) The Marvel app has Onslaught Reborn, a comic I can't recommend because I never bought it. This was Rob Liefield's return to illustrating comics for Marvel after he'd bolted years earlier for Image Comics. (No wait, that was Heroes Reborn... this is the 2006 homage to that Onslaught event, an event that had Liefled replace the A on Captain America's mask with an eagle.) I never liked Liefeld's drawing, but remain fascinated by it. People liked it because… why?