Comics

Comic Rack

It’s a new week so it must be time to talk about comics! Welcome to the RazorFine Comic Rack boys and girls. Pull up a bean bag and take a seat at feet of the master as we offer you this quick list of all kinds of comic book goodness set to hit comic shops and bookstores this week from all your favorite publishers including DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Archie, Dynamite, Image Comics, and others.

This week includes All Nighter, Avengers, Captain America, DMZ, Fables, Hulk, Invincible Iron Man, Samurai’s Blood, Simpsons Comics, Uncanny X-Men, The Walking Dead, X-Factor, X-Men: Schism, the first issues of Brilliant, Herc, Spider-Island: The Amazing Spider-Girl, Star Wars: Knight Errant – Deluge, Warlord of Mars: Fall of Barsoom, and the final issues of Batman, Conan: Road of Kings, Fear Itself: Deadpool, Flashpoint: Abin Sur – The Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Justice League of America, Power Girl, Supergirl, and Zatanna.

Enjoy issue #141

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Flashpoint #4

flashpoint-4-coverOne of the most intriguing redesigns of the Flashpoint universe was Captain Marvel. Instead of Billy Batson alone calling on the magic of Shazam, he is one of six hosts who together all form Captain Thunder. The lightning also transforms Tawky Tawny into something which can only be referred to as Battle Cat. Now c’mon, that’s kinda cool.

The problem is after introducing Captain Thunder in the first issue of Flashpoint he’s been M.I.A. ever since. This issue rectifies the situation by having Batman and his team come to Billy and his friends to help the Flash. Sounds good right? Captain Thunder even agrees to help the team take on the Amazons and Aquaman.

Trouble is, even in the Flashpoint universe DC Comics seems intent on limiting the number of pages Captain Marvel can appear. The team is betrayed and Billy Batson is killed. But at least I’ll get to see him in the new DC Reboot, right? Oh, Captain Marvel isn’t part of that either? Sigh. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $3.99]

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Usagi Yojimbo #139

usagi-yojimbo-139-coverUsagi‘s wanderings lead him to cross paths with an old friend when he comes upon Inspector Ishida fending off an attack by an entire band of ruffians.

After helping his old friend dispatch the last of the killers Uasgi learns Ishida is transporting a prisoner, one of two brothers who lead this nefarious band, to justice. Usagi agrees to accompany him and the two warriors and their prisoner set off for their destination only to be waylaid by the weather when they must make a stop at an inn.

It’s here Ishida and Usagi run into an assortment of characters including the inn keeper, who despite closing the establishment can’t turn a blind eye to weary travelers in bad weather, a pompous aristocrat who fancies himself a poet and his bodyguard, and a humble paper dealer and his family.

The storm outside, the prisoner, and the odd mix of personalities under one roof is a good set-up for a murder mystery. I won’t tell you who is killed, or why, but I will say I’m definitely looking forward to picking up the next issue.

[Dark Horse, $3.50]

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Is this the end for the Secret Six?

secret-six-36-coverYou know you’re in trouble when Ragdoll is the voice of reason. On the eve of Bane‘s plan to take on Batman by attacking those closest to him the team begins to fray as they are surrounded by heroes who have followed the Penguin‘s tracker to the abadoned warehouse the Secret Six is using as its temporary base.

In an attempt to end things quickly Huntress calls in favors and brings in everybody, and I do mean everybody, to take the Six down, but as Huntress realizes far too late this isn’t the team to back down against an overwhelming show of force. As Ragdoll points out this team only has one redeeming virtue: they simply don’t know when to quit. That’s one lesson they never learned.

The Secret Six aren’t just another super-villain team. As screwed up as they all are there’s something noble about a group who will fight for each other, against all odds, knowing the chance of actually winning is impossibly high. And in this final issue Gail Simone let’s them go out Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid style.

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Moon Knight #4

moon-knight-4-coverAlmost immediately after deciding they can trust each other Moon Knight and Echo get an unexpected visit from the Night Shift who want the pair to stop their investigation into the identity of the kingpin of Los Angeles. Never being ones to taken advice from super-villains the pair decide instead to kick some ass.

The issue begins with a very humorous exchange between Ms. Marvel and Echo who calls in to Avengers Mansion hoping to find someone to vouch for the crazy guy she’s thinking of teaming-up with. This gives us Carol’s fluster over not immediately knowing who Echo is and a great one-liner by Spider-Man. It also shows us how quickly Ms. Marvel can adapt to the situation by whittling down to the crux of what Echo was really asking.

Every month I pick up Moon Knight expecting it to be my last issue and every month (at least so far) writer Brian Michael Bendis has given me a reason to come back for more. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $3.99]

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