Alright last category for the week of 3/18/09 here. Much like the other two this is a shorty.

5. X-Men Legacy #222 - This title had top artist and writer nods. Placing 5th for artist and 5th for writer. This has been a fun title that has done a lot of tweaking of the X-Universe. Some has been for the worse some has been for the better. This issue was one of the betters as we are seeing a lot of development with the characters of Rogue and Gambit.

4. Wolverine: Old Man Logan #71 - This crazy look at the potential future of our favorite hairy Canadian canucklehead has been a great joy ride. This title was awarded 2nd in artists and 4th in writers for this week. This issue pushed the story forward finally after a bit of time where it felt like this title was just going to be a more violent road trip movie. The end of this issue could potentially change the whole direction of this story.

3. Amazing Spider-Man #588 - 3rd for covers and 2nd for writing gets this title in at the 3rd spot for title of the week. While it obviously had writing and covers I enjoy the art was also great. Any other week and it probably would have been a top 5. It actually was 6th on my list so there is that. Really enjoyed all the elements of this title and where it left us going forward into the future. It left many stories available such as where does the whole Lily/Menace and Harry/Goblin relationship go?!

2. X-Factor #41 - Pulled down 3rd for covers and 3rd for writing. Lot going on here. Rahne has some good moments. Madrox and Layla together in the future. Don't want to go into much detail here because PAD as been so eager to keep people from spoiling things. Just believe me this has been a great title recently and this title ratchets it up another level.

1. X-Force #13 - Death, destruction and New X-Men appearances galore! This title was nominated in all three categories. 1st in covers, 3rd in artists, and 1st in writing. The trio of Kyle, Yost and Crain are pumping out some great stuff. This title almost seems like the main x-title honestly. It ties into more of the other x-titles than any other book does and it seems to be one of the highest quality on a consistent basis.

So the two titles of the week so far this month are Ghost Rider #33 and X-Force #13. Stay tuned later in the week to find out the last title of the week for March.

This will be another short and sweet one. This week we should be back on track and doing it the old way. But who knows how we'll do it. Maybe people like it better this way?! Let me know what you think people. So here we go top writers!

5. Mike Carey (X-Men: Legacy #222) - So this was a really good issue. Starting to get somewhere I think. Rogues characterization has been really spot on as has Gambits. I love seeing those two characters written well. I just hope this arc concludes with the two of them being part of a new X-Men team lead by Xavier. Who knows where Carey is going with this though. I'll be there to find out though and that's in very large part to the writing here.

4. Mark Millar (Wolverine: Old Man Logan #71) - This has been a really great arc. While it doesn't take place in continuity it still has me connected to the characters. It still has me feeling slightly sad when something happens to a character like Hawkeye who gets an abrupt ending to his story here. Hopefully now though berserker Wolverine will make his return and Millar as we know can write that quite well.

3. Peter David (X-Factor #41) - Let this title never end! PAD has been amazing here. This title has been good since the start. For a bit there it was good but nothing great. Almost resting on its laurels. Not anymore the last few issues have provided us with twists, turns, and killer cliffhanger endings. This is a book that only seems to get better issue after issue. Can't wait for the next one after the way PAD left us hanging on the last one!

2. Marc Guggenheim (Amazing Spider-Man #588) - While I really miss the MJ and Peter relationship I gotta admit I have enjoyed these stories set in Brand New Day. The Spidey Brain-Trust now know as the Web-Heads are why. Guggenheim has given us a great character arc here and provides plenty of action as well. This issue in particular was a heart breaker but so is the life of Peter and those who surround him.

1. Craig Kyle and Chris Yost (X-Force #13) - These guys plus an X-Title is guaranteed gold for Marvel and fans. They are amazing writers and you can tell by the way they off characters but still fanboys keep coming back. This issue was no exception a they rid another mutant from the world with the promise that two more could go next issue. They can do the blood and gore fighting like no other but they also have touching moments with Rahne here that should keep everyone happy.

So there you go! We now have two of our three nominees for Writer of the Month. First being Peter Tomasi (Green Lantern Corps) and now Craig Kyle and Chris Yost (X-Force). Stay tuned later this week as I run down this weeks top 5 and we get our last nominee!

Here are my favorite 5 covers from this week. I have picked them based upon a few factors. Each factor is worth 5 points and the points are totaled to give the cover a rating. Those factors are:

• Style - Is it unique and something new or just classic and clean.
• Pop - How much does it pop out to the readers eyes when it's sitting on the shelf.
• Relevance - How relevant is the cover to what is actually happening inside the book.
• Iconic Value - Is this a cover that will stand out over the course of time or is it neat but nothing legendary.

So here are the top 5:

5. Deadpool : Games of Death - (Greg Land with Justin Ponsor)

• Style - Typical Greg Land style here. Well minus a female. Pretty goofy not taking itself to serious. funny but nothing special style wise. 2/5
• Pop - It definitely stands out. I mean you got the merc with a mouth firing off a handgun holding a teddy bear. That surely has some pop factor to it. 3/5
• Relevance - Well actually none at all. There is no carnival or teddy bears inside. 0/5
• Iconic Value - It's Deadpool in a pose that only Deadpool could pull off. He looks badass holding a teddy bear. Pretty classic. 3/5
• SPRI Total 8/20

4. Ultimatum #3 - (David Finch, Danny Miki, Steve Firchow)

• Style - Static pose down shot done gorgeously by Finch. Colors and inking enhance it quite a deal and provides a very beautiful shot that fits together with the other covers from Ultimatum. The Magneto eye glow effect is a great touch. 3/5
• Pop - It's gorgeous like I said and it stands out because you see the whole Brotherhood in one shot with Magneto eyes a glowing in the background and Sabertooth roiding out in the foreground. 3/5
• Relevance - Not much. Sure you see some of these guys in the interior but you get no clue as to what is going on inside from the cover. I mean Quicksilver in the background is even dead by this issue. 0/5
• Iconic Value - As far as iconic value goes it is extremely iconic for the Ultimate Universe. This title is the end of the Ultimate Universe as we know it and this is a great shot of some the hardest evil mutants the Ultimate U has to offer. Great way to showcase these guys before obliterating the Universe and some, if not all of them, along the way. 5/5
• SPRI Total 11/20

3. Amazing Spider-Man #588 - (John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson, Dean White)

• Style - This is a very classic looking John Romita Jr. style. There is something about JRJR's style that just seems classic when it is attached to Spidey. The image is very dark and haunting and is rendered very well by JRJR. It even has newspaper in the image that tells you what the story is about. Nice touch. 4/5
• Pop - It doesn't pop so much for me. While I think it is well done by JRJR and is yet another classic Spidey image done by him it doesn't really sell the book you know what I mean? Nothing really flashy about it. 2/5
• Relevance - It's relevant alright. As I mentioned above the newspaper on the cover even tells you what is happening inside the cover and a little of what happened before. It's a great cover that tells you all you need to know about the interior. Pretty neat way to recap on the cover without really being overt about it. 5/5
• Iconic Value - It's JRJR and I would argue just about all of his covers are iconic in some way because he does Spidey so well. Long into the future I think JRJR will be remembered as one of the best ever to draw Spidey. Having said that this is not the most iconic of all the drawings he has done and surely not the most memorable. 2/5
• SPRI Total 13/20

2. X-Factor #41 (David Yardin with Nathan Fairbain)

• Style - Very foreboding and dark. Th Sentinel looks great seemingly preparing to destroy Madrox and his multiples. The sheer panic on Madrox and the dupes is great and I love the interior of the Sentinel's mouth the detail is fantastic. 3/5
• Pop - You have a giant Sentinel in the background with its chest, eyes, and mouth glowing with energy. In such a dark cover these elements really make it stand out. It draws your eyes in and then you see Madrox and the dupes and the terror they are experiencing. 4/5
• Relevance - It's got Madrox and a Sentinel. Both are inside in some capacity. Maybe not the same as this exact image but its close enough. It definitely gives you a damn good idea of whats inside and does not disappoint. 4/5
• Iconic Value - Pretty iconic Sentinel. Probably one of the more iconic images of the series so far in my opinion. Maybe not iconic in a everyone will remember it forever sort of way but still pretty chilling and memorable. 3/5
• SPRI Total 14/20

1. X-Force #13 - (Clayton Crane)

• Style - I think Clayton Crain's style is currently extremely unique. Crain's digital painting style is very dark, I mean VERY dark, and just stands apart from the crowd. This cover is no exception 4/5
• Pop - This cover pops right out there. First you have a character in front of the logo which automatically sets it apart from other things on the shelf that have a static logo in the top of the image. Second you have everything shot to hell in the image including the previously mentioned logo. Then you have the antagonist standing over the members of the team who all have her crazy weird Jason mask on and are bound. Looks pretty dire and makes you want to crack the book open fairly quickly. 4/5
• Relevance - This scene does not happen in the book but it figuratively is very relevant. Leper queen is in control and she has these guys right where she wants them. This is a downer issue, in a great way, and this cover captures all of that. 4/5
• Iconic Value - Not a lot of iconic value on this one. It is though one of the cooler covers for this series which makes it a little iconic for this book. It's an image I will remember when I think of this book. 3/5
• SPRI Total 15/20

Let me know what you think Inmates and tune in next week as we review another five covers and pick the last nominee for cover of the month. Just as a refresher the two nominees so far are Action Comics #875 by Andrew Robinson and X-Force #13 by Clayton Crain.

So I read through some of this weeks offerings and so far I like what I've seen. So the way were going to do these reviews is to give the comics a rating based on a scale of 0 to 10. So pretty much the reviews will just get a DSM Rating of Crazy (DSM-RoC) from The Comic Book Asylum courtesy of Dr. Burpee.

Mighty Avengers #22 - Best part of this issue was Jarvis walking in on Jacosta with a Wasp between her legs.Other than that it really wasn't anything that crazy. The story seems to finally be coming more into focus but I'm not sure I care where its going. But I will admit I am biased because I'm not a big fan of classic avengers as I am of New Avengers ( I know I'm a fucking blasphemer). So overall I would say this gets a DSM-RoC of 3.

Thunderbolts #129 - Ok easy review. Norman Osborn and Ant Sleaze. Most excellent.
DSM-RoC of 13.

Wolverine Origins #33 - As I said before I have a love/hate with this title. I like the title's lofty goals of using all kinds of Wolvie pieced together memories into a working origin. Some of it though is kinda crazy stretched. So everyone named Hudson is related to Wolverine and is badgered by Romulus? What the hell?
DSM-RoC of 6.

X-Force #12 - Gotta say I really like the Kyle/Yost team. Their understanding of continuity and there constant use of the New X-Men characters keeps bringing me back for more. Oh and I am a fan of the Bastion character. Crazy last couple of pages in this one. I'm sure no damage done to the team but man that is a lot of civvies.
DSM-RoC of 34.

New Avengers #50 - Was looking forward to this and while it was good it could have been a bit better. The individual team members pages done by a specific artist each was an awesome feature. When I noticed that was what was going on I just kept repeating, "Please let there be AJA/Iron Fist and Wolvie/YU", and sure enough I got it! Also thrown into this issue was Ms. Marvel done by Horn. Oh that sounded pretty nasty, "Ms. Marvel done by Horn", just let that one sink in..wait sink in..I'm killing myself. Oh but close to that concept I heard a million fanboys collectively reach for the lotion and tissues when they reached the second page and got three panels of Ms. Marvel assuming the position with Cap Rubbing his chin checking it out. Seriously I have included the shot. Am I right or what?!


DSM RoC of 123



Ratings are well thought out and are based upon writing, art, and other various factors.