ANNUAL REVIEWS(Reviews of this weeks annuals)

Batman Annual #2
 
Though insisting it's a Zero year tie-in, the second Batman annual is actually a stand alone story that takes place in the present. With the exception of one page that takes place in Zero Year (and requires no previous Zero Year knowledge), Batman Annual #2 is a solid story that takes place in Arkham Asylum.
 
To test out the latest advances in super villain containment technology, Dr.Arkham recruits Batman to try and break out of Arkham Asylum. In the midst of the exercise, Arkham's longest incapacitated inmate, the Anchoress, decides it would be a perfect time to escape and confront the man she blames for her misfortunes.
 

NEW COMICS JULY 31st

Well its 5th week time again, so we're a little light on DC titles. What we do get however are some super sized annuals, and they look great.
Batman Annual #2 is by regular writer Scott Snyder and fits in with the Zero Year story running in the main title. Detective Annual #2 and Animal Man Annuals have the real writers on them as well and fit in with their respective main titles. The Flash Annual however seems to be a one-shot story featuring Flash and Green Lantern teaming up for the first time.

Wolverine in the Flesh sounds like some celebrity written thing with Wolverine teaming up with Top Chef USA.
Tom Strong is back, I've always enjoyed his adventures and am looking forward to this new mini.
Collider #1 is a new Vertigo title, hot on the heals of Snyders hit, The Wake, and with Lemires new book, Trillium coming in a few weeks. Collider is described as blue collar sci-fi, and features a Federal team tasked with repairing the laws of physics.
Please note: Our copies of Superior Spider-man #1 were delayed last week, so this book is NEW to our store.

Hunger #1, and Superman/Batman review

Hunger #1 is the first book of the Marvel Universe-spanning event. Hot off the heels of Age of Ultron, it is rooted primarily in the Ultimate Comics universe, though repercussions may be felt on the main Marvel Universe titles as well. Hunger is new reader friendly, so you don't need pick up any previous Ultimate Comics titles to be able to enjoy this read.

Hunger #1 features Rick Jones, who is the Ultimate Comics version of Nova. Rick is told by The Watcher that a universe altering event is on the horizon, and that can mean only one thing: it's time to observe. Rick watches as a hungry Galactus reaches from his universe into theirs, while the Gah Lak Tus swarm (the Ultimate Universe version of Galactus) pays a visit to the eater of worlds. That's when things go from bad to worse.

Hunger #1 is a solid issue from beginning to end, and it's setting up something big for both the main Marvel titles as well as the Ultimate line. It was rumored that the Ultimate line might be coming to a close with Hunger, though that was quickly dismissed by Marvel at San Diego Comic Con this past weekend. Evidently, it's quite the opposite. It was mentioned that Hunger is just the beginning of an incredible upcoming change in the Ultimate Universe, and for that reason, Hunger is one of the must-read Marvel books this summer. 

Sex Criminals, Rat Queens, the Dial H swan song, and the strangest Star Wars tale ever told?

We are right in the middle of the dog days of summer and, before you know it, the school bells will be ringing again. Here are a few books coming out in September you might want to add to your pull list.

Let's start with a story which almost didn't see the light of day:

THE STAR WARS
Writer: J. W. Rinzler; Artist: Mike Mayhew; Colorist: Rain Beredo, Brad Anderson; Cover Artist: Nick Runge
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Before Star Wars, there was The Star Wars! This is the authorized adaptation of George Lucas’s rough-draft screenplay of what would eventually become a motion picture that would change the world.

Annikin Starkiller is the hero . . . Luke Skywalker is a wizened Jedi general . . . Han Solo is a big green alien . . . and the Sith . . . Well, the Sith are still the bad guys. High adventure and derring-do from longer ago, in a galaxy even further away!

* Official adaptation of George Lucas’s original screenplay for Star Wars!

Apparently the idea to adapt it has be floating around for years, but Lucas was adamant this would not be made. That was until Dark Horse showed him 10 pages of art and he relented and signed off.

It's an 8-issue limited series, so the commitment isn't huge if you're curious to see how Star Wars might have looked.

ANNIVERSARY SALE

Well it looks like the weather cleared up nicely just in time for our BIG street sale.
There should be close to a 1,000 different new unread graphic novels out on sale for $5.00 a piece. Many of these books retail for $20.00 and up so you're looking at 75% off in some cases.
Also, some great Green Lantern and Blackest Night action figures for $5.00 each.

And remember, almost everything in the store will be 26% off.

I reserve the right to limit any items during the sale. Please work with me here, I'm a nice guy, but I'm not about to put myself out of business selling stuff for below cost.

SALE CONTINUES TILL 6:00 TODAY AND RUNS SUNDAY FROM 12-5

NEW COMICS JULY 24th

Its another Marvel heavy week as we get a batch of Avengers books along with the first issue of Hunger. this is the spin-off from Age of Ultron as the Universes collide, Galactus goes after the Ultimates Universe. Oh yeah, it also has something to do with Angela( from the Spawn Universe).
Tired of relaunching all their titles with the word Uncanny in front of them, Marvel is now adding the adjective, Superior, as in Superior Spider-Man Team-up.
2 great fan favourites team up in Rocketeer and the Spirit. The variant cover by Darwyn Cooke will go fast.
Constantine #5 is a tie-in with the Trinty War story running in Justice League Dark, also out this week.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesdays Reviews

Superior Carnage #1 is the first instalment in a five issue miniseries featuring perhaps one of the most violent characters in the Marvel universe. The last few Carnage miniseries titles have been fun, though they aren't necessary reads if you're jumping into Superior Carnage. Continuing with the 'Superior' moniker of the recent Spider-Man books, this miniseries revolves around Carnage unwillingly joining a new rendition of the Frightful Four, alongside lesser-villains The Wizard and Klaw. Of course, Carnage tends not to react well to restraints or rules which will likely make for some fun conflict in the coming issues.
Off the bat, this is a considerably more graphically violent Carnage story which, all things considered, is really the only sensible way to write a maniacal serial killer bonded with a murderous alien. Suffice to say, this one isn't for youngsters. Marvel is clearly releasing this book for a more mature audience. The last couple Carnage minis haven't been as graphic, making this Superior Carnage arc a significantly more enjoyable read in comparison to the others.
The artwork by Segova and Ramos is fantastic, and there's a stunning double page spread in the book that would make an amazing poster or addition to a comic art wall. Kevin Shnick takes writing duties and delivers an action packed issue that doesn't skimp on story progression, while at the same time delivering some fantastic character moments. The Wizard, often a B-list villain, has never seemed so ruthless.
The 'Superior' handle may seem tacked on at first glance, but this really is a superior Carnage... one we haven't seen for a while. More psychotic, disturbing, and vehement in many more ways than the previous Carnage minis. The creative team seems well chosen, and the future instalments of Superior Carnage seem promising after this first issue.

 

Batman 66 is a revisitation of the 1966 Batman television series, but in comic book form. It's a rare breed of comic that combines classic characters, dialogue and artwork with modern storytelling; a real throwback to the 60's in many, many ways. Better still, it's also a solid read from front to back.

---

 This first issue features the caped crusader and the boy wonder caught up in a conundrum involving The Riddler. Tasked with recovering stolen gold statues, the dynamic duo team up with Catwoman to put an end to Riddler's shenanigans and place him behind bars once again. Of course, things aren't that easy when dealing with a madman's mind games.

 Everything about Batman 66 feels as though it's been ripped from the 60's and placed in your hands, less the pages themselves. The campy dialogue, the halftone coloring, the character costumes, and the settings are all true to the 60's Batman show. If you've had the pleasure of experiencing the old show in just about any volume, you'll get a kick out of the way this book reads. For those unfamiliar with the show (or older comics for that matter), you'll get the chance to experience comics from a fun new perspective.

 Jeff Parker (Spider-Man: 1602, Thunderbolts) has captured the essence of the 60's Batman show very well, but the story reads as a more cohesive, almost modern Batman tale. Everything comes together quite well at the end, and from front to back, the book is consistently entertaining. A huge part of this book, as well as the writing, is the aesthetics. The artwork by Jonathan Case is a mix of worn pastel shades with bright vibrant colors, and lots of halftones. Visually, it looks as if it's been yanked from the interiors of early 60's and 70's comic books. Very well done.

 Batman 66 is a great first issue in what looks to be a promising ongoing series, and a fun addition to the numerous Bat books on shelves today.