Here we have the best of the best for 5/20/09. Consume with your eyes and ears then vomit with your mouth I know I did.

Here is some more focused video reviews for the week of 5/20/09 eat em up please cause we can't have any leftovers.

Here are the quick reviews for some of the titles I picked up on 5/20/09. There are more to come but I figured i'd get this out here now so as to leave you with something while I edit and tweak the rest of them. So please do enjoy ladies and germs!

So I watch a lot of basketball and they constantly do a feature during the half time shows called The T-Mobile Fave-5 where the commentators pick their fave-5 of a certain topic. An example being Barkley's Fave-5 point guards of all time or something of that nature. It's a feature that can be a lot of fun. So I am going to hijack it here!

My fave-5 will have nothing to do with sports though. Instead, I would like to do Burpee's Fave-5 Villains! So i'll list my favorite 5 and give a little info on why they are in my top 5 favorites list. So without further ado let's do!

5. Apocalypse - When I first got into X-Men it was because of the awesome 90's cartoon. During the first season there was a shadowy villain that seemed to be absolutely all powerful and all together badass. His name was Apocalypse. This guy was so evil that characters were so concerned with his far reaching effects on Earth that they came back from the future just to try and eliminate his ass. That would mean he was the biggest threat there was as I didn't see anyone coming back from the future for any other bad guys.

Then when I transfered my love of the X-Men cartoon into comics it was just in time to see the beginning of the Age of Apocalypse. This was such an epic change to the landscape of the X-Titles and who was the baddest mother fucker yet again? Apocalypse that's who. So my love for the character became even greater.

In recent times the character hasn't been well taken care of though unfortunately. Peter Milligan's run on X-Men was an especially low point for the once mightiest ruler of an alternate future. Recently he has been brought into the picture as a piece of the Messiah War crossover. If he will be handled well or not is still in question though.

4. Sabertooth - Stone cold killer without a care. One of the only guys to consistently be able to hand Wolverine his ass on multiple occasions. Plus he used to have a sweet ass costume. What is not to love?!

Sabertooth through the 90's was one of the baddest men on the planet. A mutant who had no alliance to any man, woman or species. He'd just as easily kill another mutant as a human. Point in case being his role with the Marauders who outright slaughtered the Morlocks.

Sabertooth though is another character who as of late has been trashed. A couple years ago in a god awful story by Jeph Loeb he was beheaded by Wolverine and is now supposedly dead to make way for someone even more evil Romulus. This whole storyline for me is a bunch of bullshit. Fuck Romulus it's time to bring back Sabertooth more pissed than ever after having his fucking head loped off like a common loser. Bring him back and put him back in his costume pictured here. Then let him go on a killing spree to get back at Wolvie.

3. Sentinels -Much like Apocalypse I was introduced to the Sentinels during the first season of the 90's X-Men cartoon. I was instantly in love. Giant robots with lasers shooting from their hands that fly around snagging mutants to terminate them. How could any 4th grader not love that shit. I know I was hooked.

Not only were they a cool idea but they had an awesome aesthetic. The giant purple and pink bots should have looked ridiculous but instead they always looked all the more lethal for being able to pull off such a terrible color combo. They have had many interpretations but my favorite will always be the ones from the cartoon.

The Sentinels since I came into comics have done anything but fade away. They have been a continual presence whether it be during Operation: Zero Tolerance with Bastion or even recently as good guy mechs for the O.N.E. program. Their worst offense by far is their role in the destruction of the mutant island Genosha where they annihilated an enormous chunk of the mutant population.The Sentinels are one consistent piece of the X-Men mythos which are for the most part anything but consistent.

2. Magneto - If you like smart conflicted characters. If you like the X-Men than this is a character that undoubtedly is one you enjoy as much as me. A holocaust survivor with so many family issues he makes the entire series of Jerry Springer shows look like a Disney flick.

He is without a doubt the single most important nemesis to the X-Men and the counterpoint to everything they stand for. He is a character that you actually feel for and understand. Had any of us had to suffer through what he did whose to say we wouldn't want to protect our species at all cost. In modern X-Men days with Cyclops in the lead he is actually closer to the current M.O. of the X-Men than ever before. Cyclops has almost adopted the same beliefs as Magneto. Protecting his species at all costs.

Magneto is overall one of the more fleshed out characters in comics. He is a rarity in that depending on how you view it you could almost put him on a heroes list. At times he has even been put in the position of siding with the angels.

Magneto has been staying under the radar as of late but seems to be slowly working his way back into the limelight as he has been seen recently with the High Evolutionary. Interesting to see where this goes as he appears to have his powers back. But is he the mutant messiah he used to be? Is he even considered a mutant anymore? Only time will tell.

1. Joker - This guy is just plain the shit! Growing up I watched many a Adam West Batman and found the Joker to just be wacky and all together amazing. This guys was insane and didn't give a shit. While this was surely a goofier version than most it was still iconic as hell.

Then when I was 5 years old the first Tim Burton/Michael Keaton Batman came out with Jack Nicholson as the Joker. My father took me to see this incredibly twisted version of the character and everything changed for me. What was I seeing? This wasn't my Joker that I knew. This was something darker and more twisted. I didn't quite understand what I was seeing but I knew it was a game changer.

Not long after that the best Joker of all time appeared. The Batman Animated Series came around and Mark Hamil was on vocals. The voice and the character seemed to be an incredible mix between the two iterations of the character that I had loved at different periods in my life. Hamil's laugh is still the best there has ever been for the character.

As time passed I stumbled upon Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's The Killing Joke. This is THE Joker story people. While the Joker's origin has man different versions this is the one that will always be the real one for me. It was an amazing story that firmly placed the Joker as the opposite of Batman. Instead of facing the adversity and loss that was presented to him with hate and dark brooding, like Bruce Wayne chose to, he instead chose to laugh. This established them as Drama and Comedy. With neither really knowing how they would function without the other.

Recently, the Joker has really reached new heights with his role in the movie The Dark Knight. The late Heath Ledger played the character so well that he even placed Jack Nicholson's version in a secondary role which is something I think few could have ever foreseen. Unfortunately, with the death of Ledger we will never get the opportunity to see the character shine quite like that ever again.

What does the future hold for the Joker? Who knows with certainty. The only thing we all know for sure is there are many gags and laughs sure to come. Followed by death with a smile.

There you have it Burpee's Fave-5 Villains! Who are your favorites? Click the rant button and let me know.

So here is my thoughts on he PS3 version of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Anyone else played this at all on any platform? If so i'd love o know what you thought of it cause I don't know anyone else besides my buddies and I who have played it.

These are my selections for best of the best. These are based on titles I picked up last week for. I am sure some of these won't be agreeable to some but these are what they are suckas! Check em out and rant if you feel like it.

Here are some quick reviews for titles that I just haven't had time to post reviews for. There's a variety here and some are older than others but all are from the last couple of months. So enjoy them. I should also have my choices for best artist, writer, cover and overall title up tomorrow. It will be a video blog as well. Lots of videos this week ladies and gentlemen!

Back in action. Got the DSL out and the Clearwire working! So I am in the process of editing vids and posting them on YouTube. So check back here and i'll get the vids posted and ready to go! To start out here are the video reviews for books I picked up last week. So effectively 5/13/09 video reviews! Enjoy! Lots of !!!!!! cause my internet is back!

Video Reviews for 5/13/09

Hey everyone sorry about the lack of anything! My internet has been busted and I can't connect. Right now I am able to piggyback a neighbors unprotected wireless network on my wife's laptop but that is not even close to a consistent thing. I really hope to have this shit fixed in a few days. So stay tuned and stay patient.

Batman: Brave and the Bold is one of those cartoons that is able to appeal to both the younger and older audience in such a seamless way. Despite being pretty goofy and campy it finds a way to be some excellent programing.

Today I found myself watching some episodes from the show that I had on my DVR. They were episodes that I had seen but really wanted to see again. They were episodes that featured Brave and the Bold's take on Aquaman. He is easily my favorite character in this show. His portrayal in this show is so ridiculous and over the top, just like a lot of the things in this show, but yet is one of the most enjoyable renditions of the character I have ever seen.

Aquaman is played here as an aloof King who brags consistently about his greatness. His interactions with some of the more "intelligent" characters of the show are the best. In one episode Atom and he must enter Batman's body to fight a sickness that Batman has picked up from Chemo puking on him in battle. Through out the journey in the Bat Aquaman steals he spotlight by calling on an anti body that comes flying in like a seahorse. He names it Platelet and loves it as if it was a trusty steed. At one point the thing is smothering his stupid ass and he's telling it hoe much he likes hugs while it continues to smother him. Atom points out that Platelet is actually trying to destroy him as it seems him as a foreign body in Batman's body. Aquaman's response? "Sure feels like a hug to me!". Classic stuff here.

If you have seen this show then you know what is so great about this Aquaman. If you don't then it's really hard to get across without you having seen it. It is hard to say that this iteration would work in the printed world of the DCU but it's really tempting to want to rally behind it. As I said earlier I really enjoy this version more than any other that I have seen or read.

Anyone else enjoy this show as much as me? Any other favorites from the show? My other favorites behind Aquaman would have to be Guy Gardner, G'Nort and of course Batman. Hit up the rant to weigh in on the subject.

So I recently started reading my first DC Showcase tpb. It's DC Showcase Green Lantern volume 1. I gotta say these things are pretty fucking sweet. This thing has 500 pages and a cover cost of $9.99. You divide that out and you'll surely see that is an astounding deal. I noticed that not all DC Showcase are priced this way but I think the highest priced volume I saw was $16.99 which is still an awesome deal for 500 pages.

Anyway, this thing is Bible sized and starts out with the earliest appearances of the Green Lantern Hal Jordan back in 1959's DC Showcase #22 and carries on through 62's Green Lantern #17. It's amazing to read this stuff 50 years later and see how much things have changed in the world of comics. I also hadn't realized that by the time Blackest Night wraps it will be Hal Jordan's 50th anniversary. I hope DC will acknowledge this.

This thing is all black and white but honestly I think that is great. Sometimes with the old 50+ years comic back issues the coloring really doesn't do the original pencils justice. Reading this I am really digging Gil Kane's art. The writing by John Broome is very standard for the time. An example being that the same plot lines are drilled into you every issue. Such as initially every story involves Hal battling something that just happens to be yellow. The color yellow must have been hella prevalent back in the late 50's early 60's cause I swear I don't run into that much yellow in a fucking week. Either way these are some really fun stories.

These DC Showcase books are great for a quick read when your bored. Problem is you start reading them and the next thing you know your 40 pages into it. I tend to read it while i'm pooping or at work with nothing to do. These really are the best shit novels in existence. Just toss it on the back of the toilet and come back to it the next time you gotta drop a deuce. I used to do the same thing with Marvel's Essentials. Marvel's Essentials though cost a tad more. (Isn't nice to get to know me a little more than you want to?)

Anyone else reading these? If not i'd suggest picking them up. They may seem a little hokey cause of their age and era but they really are a lot simpler and fun then some of the heavier shit nowadays. It's also a lot of fun to get to the beginnings of your favorite characters since very few can afford to buy the single issues that this behemoth collects.

If you are reading them or have read them before can anyone suggest some other fun Showcases to read? I'll clearly try and finish out the Green Lantern stuff but aside from that i'm not sure. Others I saw that piqued my interest were Justice League, Batman, Superman and Legion of Superheroes. So if you got anything to suggest just slap the rant link below and drop me a suggestion. Appreciate it in advance.

This week there are a total of eleven comics on my pull list. This list has been getting shorter due to budgetary concerns but that's cool. Picking up only the good stuff can only be a good thing right? Anyway, here is my pull list and some thoughts on each.

Booster Gold #20 - Going to be honest and admit that I still haven't gotten the last issue of this from my pull box at Bosco's yet. Which means this will probably be joining #19 in the box instead of coming home to my collection.

Captain Britain and MI: 13 #13 -Same as above unfortunately.

Deadpool: Suicide Kings #2 - Starting a trend here as this is the same as the other two.

GeNext United #1 - I enjoyed the first series but i'm not 100% sold on picking this one up. I am going to have to glance through it and see if it piques my interest before I drop $3.99 on the bastard. Probably will pass on it and maybe get something from the box.

Green Lantern Corps #36 - This baby is coming home for sure. Can't wait to see Sinestro and Daughter dearest talk it out. This is a great comic in the midst of building to what appears to be a great event. If you aren't reading this do yourself a favor and pick up the trades and get caught up.

Secret Six #9 - This is a title that I keep telling myself to just go ahead and drop. I can't do it though. Each issue has been good and entertaining. Who knows though maybe this will be the issue that kills it for me but I doubt it. I like the premise that some of the 6 want to take up Bat's mantle. I sure hope one of the members who wants to do so has crazy hair and can fit in a tiny box way smaller than he is. That would be some serious hilarity. Batdoll!

Secret Warriors #4 - This series is off to a great start. Last issue was my least favorite of the series so far. Yet it was still better than a lot of stuff out there. Hopefully this issue keeps the title going on it's path of awesomeness.

Ultimate Spider-Man #132 - Getting closer to being done with the Ultimate Universe? I think I might be. Unless they do something awesome to hook me i'll probably be using this opportunity to relieve my wallet of some extra titles by just saying no to New Ultimate. In the mean time I am enjoying the close of this volume of the Ult. U. Ultimatum has been enjoyable for me despite some peoples utter distaste for it.

Umbrella Academy: Dallas #6 - Dallas has been way better than the original UA in my opinion. It seems like Dallas got better and better as the series went on. I really hope it isn't too long in between UA minis cause i'm really interested in seeing more of these characters.

Wolverine #73 - Two stories! One issue! None of which is the end of Old Man Logan. can anyone else say filler before the relaunch of Dark Wolverine. I'll still be buying it don't get me wrong. I am weak for the X-Verse stuff. But come on already and wrap OML up please. Also when Dark Wolverine ends can we get Wolverine relaunched under its original numbering? That would be awesome.

X-Factor #43 - Consistently great title. Cliffhangers, adventure, future stories, Layla and PAD writing like his life depended on it. This is one of the GREAT titles at Marvel right now. Pick it up I now I will be.

Here's the second part of the first set of video reviews here at the Asylum. Enjoy and feel free to Rant below whether you agree or disagree on something. Thanks for checking the reviews out and i'll have more up later in the week once i've had a chance to peruse this weeks offerings.

Here is the first video review. This is #1.1 and #1.2 will be up later or tomorrow depending on when I get it edited and posted. I hope you all enjoy it and leave me some feedback in the rants section or on Twitter @BrandonBurpee as the feedback will help me refine this process. Thanks and here it is.

So here it is the first video on Burpee's Comic Book Asylum! It's a tour of my Man Room. So here it is and I apologize for the cruddy nature of it. First one though so hopefully it will get better. We shall see.

So without further ado...

I am currently working on adding videos to the Asylum. I intend to add video reviews, commentary, and sometimes just random stuff. Hopefully it is something that will be enjoyable. If not i'll stop...well actually if it isn't i'll probably continue anyway. So stay tuned!

Alright, here are some quick reviews and thoughts on titles that I have picked up recently. Feel free to agree or disagree by clicking on the rant button below. Or just ignore it as I would and just msg me on Twitter or some such nonsense.

Cable #14 - So far this crossover sucks. The only thing it has done consistently so far is let me down every issue. This had some serious potential but instead of enjoying it all I can think as I am reading them is, "How many issues is this x-over?", that is never a good sign. The art is ok and so is the writing bu the whole concept just seems to much in too little. Returning Stryfe and Apocalypse would have been awesome had there been some buildup but here wasn't. Interested to see how this ends and that is about it. Anyone know how many issues this is supposed to be? Seriously, I have no clue. C

Amazing Spider-Man #593 - Enjoyable issue but nothing amazing. Man I am really bad about shying away from the obvious puns aren't I? This issue deals with a multitude of things one of which is Peter having o now live with he fact that he has seen J. Jonah Jameson Sr. knocking the dust off Aunt May's whoohoo. Seriously, it's disturbing. Maybe even too much for the Asylum. Good read though. B

War of Kings #3 - Another ok issue but nothing blockbuster. This might be the beginning of the end of the cosmic crossovers. It just isn't hitting the marks like it's predecessors did. Not even close. It does have a really cool moment with Gladiator though. C-

Flash: Rebirth #2 - WTF is with that last page?! Really? I seriously think that it's a swerve but if it isn't this has turned into a huge let down. It's Geoff Johns though and I will give that man all the credit and belief in the world. If he says he knows what he's doing i'll follow. Art is very pretty in this baby. C-

Exiles #2 - Maggott returns! Yes, you read that right! It's a small part but he's there for a few pages. I am a huge Maggott fan and feel he would be an awesome character if given to the right team but I know I am in the minority on that one. Even more reason I enjoyed his use here. This issue guaranteed I will stick around through the entire series. Thanks Jeff Parker for using him. Even more importantly though thanks goes to Asst. Editor Jordan D. White who Jeff Parker told me on Twitter was the man who suggested Maggott's use. Also it was a fun issue. ;) A+++

So it's that time again to declare one title better than the rest. One title that for whatever the reason may be, I felt, provided me with my moneys full worth. So criteria for this is just pure and simply that I enjoyed the shit out of it for whatever reason. So awaaaaaaay we go!

This month I choose Ghost Rider #34. In a surprise upset over Green Lantern #40 I chose this title. While Green Lantern was a great book with writing and art that were well worth the money paid for admission it just wasn't as good as Ghost Rider was. Green Lantern is in the middle of an epic run that is leading into Blackest Night and as amazing as it is it is a piece of a larger story and isn't a surprise issue or a key issue. So when it comes down to issue to issue comparison Ghost Rider wins.

Why does Ghost Rider #34 win? Why is it better than all the rest? Well the art for starters on this book is amazing. From pencils to coloring it is done with the volume turned to 10. One of my problems with GL #40 is that the pencils looked superb but once the coloring and inking were thrown in I felt it lost a lot in translation. Ghost Rider didn't suffer from this at all. The art was such an asset that it was able to tell the story without words in some places for pages.

The writing here was also hard to match. As I stated earlier in the Write Stuff feature Jason Aaron mastered the dark comedy aspect of writing in this issue. The gruesome trucker was so perfectly offset with the humor he provided that it seemed so easy. It isn't though and many B horror movies can attest to this statement. Aaron routinely provides this type of writing but in this issue in particular he nails down the one and done dark humor. If he could bottle this and sell it...wait he did and it's called Ghost Rider #34.

It's really sad that this title will be wrapping up in an upcoming miniseries and then going on hiatus. At least that is what Joe Q had to say in the last Joe Friday's at myspace.com. Hopefully when and if it returns Aaron will be asked to come back and work some more of his magic on the character and mythos. Until then this is the title of the month for April.

April presented us with all kinds of stories and all kinds of written word. Some very good and some very bad. Here in the Asylum I like to focus on the good in things. It's better for fanperson therapy to not dwell on what we don't like but to instead promote what we do enjoy. Not enough of that in fandom I think. Mini soapbox aside here are the titles I feel their writers should be applauded for.

3. Thor #601 - J. Michael Straczynski is a fantastic character writer. He proves this yet again with the latest issue of Thor. He tackles some very iconic characters and does an amazing job of nailing down their voices. He gives us a Thor who is struggling to come to terms with his current situation of being cast out of Asgard. Doom being greedy and dark. Loki being the best trickster he can be. Last, but not least he gives us drunk rage filled Volstagg!

Loki is, I think, being handled the best he has ever been that I have read. Loki in his female form is one devious ass bitch. He is playing all angles and sides. He reminds me very much so of Ben Linus from Lost. Anyone who watches Lost will see what i'm saying. Anyone who isn't watching Lost do yourself a favor and jump off a building. Well...maybe you could just buy the first season. Anyway, Straczynski's Loki is money. So money and he knows it!

If you aren't reading Thor you really need to get on board or some day your going to be picking up one of those Straczynski on Thor hardbacks with the complete series wishing you had picked this up all those years ago. I'm not playing. Go pick that shit up right now then come back and finish this column and thank me.

2. Ghost Rider #34 - Alright so Jason Aaron has consistently given us a crazy book with his run on Ghost Rider. We've had Bible quoting killers, shotgun wielding nuns on motorcycles and much much more. This issue Aaron tops himself. He brings back a trucker who has made a deal with a devil and lets him square off with one of the flame heads.

The satanic trucker is absolute gold. His killing of the hippies is classic as is his driving with a head as a hood ornament for his truck. This title has enough dark humor to make you chuckle but also enough twisted shit to make you grimace. Blending these elements is not as easy as Aaron makes it seem. Many a cheesy product has been produced in entertainment mediums trying to do just what he is doing here. Not only is he doing it but he is setting some serious standards.

This issue is one of the last for this series and I am really sad to hear about that. This is a title that I was really close to dropping early on and thank the maker every day that I didn't. This is one of those titles that sneaks up on me every month and then i'm surprised that I am surprised it did.

1. Green Lantern #40 - Mr. Geoff Johns well done sir. You have now been bringing it every issue 40 issues straight. He has also placed Hal Jordan into the role of the best superhero in the DCU. I know this is a strong statement but I think it is justifiable. Which event were you more excited for Final Crisis or Blackest Night? While Blackest Night still hasn't dropped into our laps Final Crisis has and I certainly was not impressed. So now Blackest Night is coming and the buzz for it is off the chain. It revolves around the Lantern Corps of the galaxy not Superman, not Batman, not Wonder Woman. Green Lantern.

Geoff Johns gives us a great look at the Orange Lantern(s) here and we find that as is appropriate for the Greed Corps there is but one ring bearer who creates other Lanterns out of other Corps' Lanterns. Johns has given us yet another character who is fleshed out and has a lasting ability. Another character that I am sure other writers would love to play with and use in their sandbox. Another character that DC would like to make an action figure for and that I would like to put on my shelf.

This is a great title and I am getting more and more excited for the money shot that this is building to. If Blackest Night simply stays small and keeps its focus like Johns has done all along with this title it can only succeed.

The titles with the best art this month of April were actually really difficult to choose. There was some really good looking stuff out this month. I mean plenty of dime pieces. In the end though I can't choose them all. Well, I actually could I suppose as this is my blog and I can do as I please. I didn't though ok?! Only three remain! Here they are.

3. Thor #601 - Marko Djurdjevic brought the nasty for this issue. By nasty I mean good stuff. His art is such a great fit for this title and I swear every issue gets just a tad bit better. The pages that focused on Loki and Doom were a favorite of mine in this issue. The way he draws Dr. Doom is just an awesome bomb igniting in my retinas. I would really like to see him continue to do more with Doom. If this issue is any indication this is a good possibility.




2. Ghost Rider #34 - The art in this issue really made the story work. The premise is so ridiculous, yet brilliant, that it requires a specific style of art to accompany it. This is that art. Tony Moore's art is so strong that when it comes down to bike vs truck the art does most of the talking as the dialogue disappears. From flaming skulls to hippy bus massacre's Moore draws it all and does it in the most hellacious yet stunning way. I am really disappointed that this title is going on hiatus after the mini that follows it. The art has been so good for all 34 issues it will be a shame to not have this to look forward to each month.

1. Baman: Battle for the Cowl #2 - Now I know this is big action art and there isn't anything especially artsy per se but god damn this shit is gorgeous. Tony Daniels is hitting the mark with every unforgivingly gorgeous page. Black Mask standing over the rooftops of Gotham City reveling in the destruction he caused is just so evil looking!I have said it before and I will say it again this is a big blockbuster style mini and the art is just perfect for it. It has that Jim Lee feel but with its own hint of dark and evil. Tim vs Jason Todd Batman, if that is who it is, was a vicious free for all that was extremely enjoyable. Tim using a crowbar on him in one panel was so subtle yet fucked up. I wish Jason would have mentioned just how ironic it was for him to be getting beat with a crowbar by a Robin this time instead of the Joker. Anyway that will be covered a little more later.

So here you have it the best art in a title this month goes to Tony Daniel on Batman: Battle for the Cowl.

So in selecting my favorite cover of April I was able to narrow it down to three lucky covers. Well not really lucky as much as awesome. The reason these covers were picked were for no other reason than because I liked them. I will attempt to explain why I enjoyed the covers but sometimes you just like something because you like it. You know what I mean? So check out my favorite three from this month then feel free to Rant and let me know what covers you enjoyed in the month of April.

3. Amazing Spider-Man #592 - In recent years I haven't been the biggest Quesada art fan. I think the guy is the best EIC out there and Marvel owes him a Stan Lee style debt, well maybe not that much but close, but his art doesn't always appeal to me. His variant covers for New Avengers were terrible and made Wolverine look like a nasty nad.

The cover for this issue though I found highly enjoyable. The shading is spectacular and the movement of the figure looks amazing. Sorry had to. Overall there is just that beauty to it that draws the eyes to it. Great way to make a memorable cover or at least sell an issue. Either way great success on this cover.





2. Thor #601 - God damn this cover is pretty. The shear scope of Thor walking away from the hovering Asgard is just awe inspiring. The hazy cloud cover or fog s a great effect. The mute colors do a great job as a stark contrast to Thor's billowing red cape. While the cover is simple in design and even detail it is designed superbly.

This title has a consistently beautiful cover every month. Scratch that. This title has a consistently beautiful cover when it actually comes out. These covers are an excellent addition to the great art and stories supplied with this title.

Also enjoyable and amazingly awesome is the variant for this issue which you can see here. It almost was my cover of the month it is so fantastic!



















1. JSA #26 -This cover was about the best way to end the Geoff Johns era of Justice Society of America. To say that he reinvigorated the title and it's characters would be a devastating understatement. So what better way than to say goodbye than bringing back the best cover artist the title had during Johns run? Oh how about having said artist, Alex Ross, do a three cover piece that is a great shot of all the characters that made Johns' run amazing. The characters that he made speak to us in such a familial and endearing way.

The Norman Rockwell camaraderie of the shot has just the perfect feel as if the characters are taking a picture to send off with Johns as he parts way with the team he has led for so long now. So for nostalgic purposes I really enjoyed this cover the most out of all the other offerings this month.

So here are my insane afterthoughts of the titles I have read recently. Sorry these were kinda infrequent, not that anyone really noticed i'm sure, but here are the newest batch.

Kick-Ass #6 - This is one title that I feel is getting better every issue. Kinda saw the ending coming but not because it was easily expected but instead because of the superb art. In the panel where Kick-Ass leaves the car of Red Mist you can read the betrayal all over Red Mists face. Also quite enjoyable was the origin of Big Daddy and Hit-Girl. That was some twisted shit that as a parent is so appalling to me that it draws my ass right in. B

X-Factor #42 - Peter David continues this great arc that is keeping fans of the title waiting for more shock endings and awesome plot twists. I am really digging the future time line that seems to be in thick of the Summers Rebellion that has long been hinted at in the X-Titles. The last page was both unexpected and also kind of odd looking. Is that Fryer Tuck in the last page with a metal arm? Oh wait no that's....B+

Immortal Iron Fist #25 - One more to go in this arc and it has been a fun one. This romp through the 8th City has shown us some crazy Immortal Weapons brawls and now in this issue we get Iron Fist vs Iron Fist. Well after the initial fight we do anyway. This series is doing a great job of building a mythology around it that makes it compelling and important to fans which should help it to stick around. B+

Dark Reign: The Cabal - This was a sweet mix of stories that involve villainous dreams and recaps of characters histories. The best one of the group by far is the initial story that takes place in Dr. Doom's imagination as it runs wild dissecting and destroying the other members of the cabal and the world leading to Doom being supreme ruler. B -

Mighty Avengers #24 - This issue was much better than the previous ones in my opinion. I really disliked the initial arc but the art is much more enjoyable and the writing seems more fluid in this issue. Perhaps Slott has hit his stride or maybe I just needed to be warmed up to the title itself. Either way this title went from being an issue away from being dropped to back on the pull list. C+

Dark Avengers #4 - Alright so I know this title is called DARK Avengers but man I really am getting worn out by the ridiculously dark art. The inking and shading are just so dark I feel like I need to turn on the fucking light just to see it. Would it hurt to use a little less ink? The stuff with the Sentry was killer. The Sentry coming back from that action and seeing Osborn's face is priceless and the terror there makes me want to see Sentry go heel permanently. What a force he would be in the Marvel U if he was bat shit crazy evil. C-

Madman Atomic Comics #15 - As usual I really enjoy Allred's art. The vintage wackiness of it is so unique and fun that it just always stands out to me. It makes me really want to see some more X-Statix! The story isn't always on par with his art I feel though. This issue was a point in case of that. While it was fun it was also nothing spectacular. The Bowie style cover is pretty cool as well. C

Guardians of the Galaxy #13 - I am really tired of the briefing panels. It was a neat idea at first but it has been drained of all enjoyability. Was hoping to see more of the Starjammers but I can forgive that. When the teams split up all I could think was how awesome this title would be if it revolved around the Rocket Raccoon led team. That is an off the meds kinda team I would love to read about. Otherwise this really wasn't all that noteworthy. D+

Uncanny X-Men #509 - Alright so i'm not going to lie. As much as I am not a fan of Greg Land's interior art on this title he does put together a nice cover. The split Psylocke cover is pretty that is for sure. Now on the inside I lose all interest. Not interested in Psylocke in her original body. Not interested in the overly cheesy art that results in every fucking person smiling. Not even a variety of smiles. They all have big toothy white smiles. Lame-O. Also the writing seems kinda comical and as if fraction is playing up to the cheese ball fluff art. Not a fan of this at all. F

Legion of 3 Worlds #4 - Geoff Johns is awesome. George Perez is awesome. Put them together you get awesome right? Unfortunately not the case. While not terrible it isn't what I would hope for from two top tier creators. This issue wins me over though. The return of Bart Allen was a huge to everyone who hadn't already read Flash: Rebirth. Wait what was that? Most people read that? Oh yeah that's right. Nice one fucking that surprise DC. There is another surprise return that more than makes up for it for me. One of my favorite characters returns here and it really was a surprise. Who returned? Let me list some of my favorite dead characters Maggott, Superboy, Bruce Wayne and Hawkman (who may or may not have even been dead in the first place based on DC revisionist theory). I'll let you guess which one came back in this issue. C

Free Comic Book Day 2009 has now come and gone. It was a lot of fun for me and my family and I hope it was fun for all of you. Picked up some great stuff today and was impressed by a couple titles I don't usually read but may just have to check out. Also, my 8 month old son was able to get some comics of his own from FCBD as was my wife. So all in all a great day where the sun was shining bright here in Anchorage, AK.

So what did we pick up today? Well here's the list of books my family collectively brought home:

-=Laura=-
Love and Capes (Maerkle Press)
Archie presents The Mighty Archie Art Players ( Archie Comics)
-=Dex=-
DC Kids Mega Sampler (DC)
Star Wars Clone Wars (Dark Horse)
-=Myself=-
Atomic Robo (Red 5)
Blackest Night (DC)
Avengers (Marvel)
The Stuff of Legend (Th3rd World Studios)
Attack of the Alterna Zombies (Alterna)

So a nice mix of books with something for everyone. Can't really speak on my wife's selections as I have no interest in reading either of those titles. I really dislike Archie, always have, and while I have heard some great stuff about Love and Capes it just isn't my bag.

Dex's books that we grabbed him were pretty cool. The DC kids sampler is great cause it has a little of everything. While all the books, no matter how kid friendly they are, are over my 8 month old sons head he'll get them eventually and this is a great starting point for him. The Tiny Titans stuff is awesome I really do enjoy those quite a bit despite the younger market it is aimed toward. I'm pretty sure i'm not alone on that either.

The Star Wars one I thumbed through but didn't read. It had some other stuff in it besides Star Wars as well like Usagi Yojimbo and Emily the Strange. A nice sampling but nothing so compelling I felt the need to read them. Again great stuff for him at some point though and while he couldn't read them once I bagged and boarded them he sure enjoyed them as you can see.

Now the books I got had some things I have never read, some things I have read a little of and some things I follow consistently. All of them were very good and presented themselves in a way to hook new readers but yet not alienate the long termers. So here is a break down.

Atomic Robo - Great fun title. Will probably get the trades of these. Nothing I need to pick up each month but would probably be a great read in trades. The art was clean and as I said the story was fun. A dinosaur vs a robot is always fun. When the dinosaur has a Coleman cooler strapped to his back it's even better! The extra content was cool too but would have preferred more Atomic Robo.

Avengers - This was pretty cool. The small size of the book was really odd to me at first but as I was reading it I kinda grew to enjoy the smaller book size. It would really fuck up the bag and board system if they switched permanently but it was kinda cool. Maybe a way to help keep prices low? I enjoyed the story and the art but one thing I really would have enjoyed more of is THOR! He's front and center on the cover but inside he is relegated to getting his ass kicked and verbally bitch smacking Norman Osborn. The last part is cool but getting his ass kicked is soooo below the god of thunder.

Blackest Night - This was pretty damn awesome. It hinted at some serious stuff. Bat Zombie potential?! Dibney Zombies?! Aqua Zombie?! This is going to be fucking crazy people and I am not sure I can wait until July 15th! The art was a real seller on this super free book. The back section detailing the different Lanterns was also very helpful and cool. Especially if this whole story was new to you and this was your first shot at it. Oh yeah and lets not forget the Black Lantern Oath. That was pretty awesome.

The Stuff of Legends - Honestly never heard of this but the cover drew me in and I took it home with me. I wasn't disappointed one iota. This is a title I intend to pic up when it hits shelves. It was like Toy Story goes to hell to save the toy owner. Looks pretty rad. Dark yet charming is the best description I can give it.

Attack of the Alerna Zombies - Haven't had a chance to read through it yet but it looks cool. I had seen the solicitation for Jesus Hates Zombies but wasn't sure about it so didn't get it. Que FCBD 09' now I can try it for free and maybe go pick it up afterwards. What is really great about this FCBD offering is the unique format. It is built like a trade and not a standard comic. Nothing else available today looked anything like it which is a great marketing strategy on the part of Alterna. I'll let you know what the inside of this bitch is like when i'm done.

So there you have it my FCBD booty. My favorite of the day would probably have to be Blackest Night as it actually tied into continuity in a meaningful way. Sure Avengers tied into continuity as well but it was more a one in done which could be ignored in the future. Blackest Night had some new stuff that moved us forward and clsoer to that event.

Well i'm now looking forward to FCBD 10'! What did everyone else get? Anything I should have got that I didn't? Let me know on twitter or just rant below.