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The
Fanboy Planet Preview Spotlight 07/20/05
brought to you by Brian's Books of Santa
Clara
Each
week we look through the upcoming releases to offer our
two cents as to what's hot and what's not. You can agree
with us or not, but spend your money wisely.
Derek
is still on a "working" vacation in Southern California
following his blissful week with Mish'al at Comic-Con (yes,
my implication is that they are gay for each other). I'll
be filling in for him on Preview Spotlight for the next
few weeks. As per my contract, whenever I fill in for another
writer, I have carte blanche to make fun of them until they
return.
Defenders
#1 (of 5)
Writers: Keith Giffen & J.M. Dematteis
Artist: Kevin Maguire
If
you'd told me last week that my number one recommendation
for this week would be Defenders #1, I would have
thought you were high on something other than life. Despite
Kurt Busiek's recent, enjoyable run on the title, it wasn't
good enough to warrant buying it after issue #5 or #6. Anything
produced before that series doesn't hold my interest because
I'm not as old as Derek is.
Marvel's
brilliant response to my apathy was to lure the team that
recently brought us Formerly Known as the Justice League
and JLA Classified: I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice
League to work on their "special" team of heroes. Giffen
& Dematteis bring their laugh out loud knack for dialogue
and Maguire's talent for facial expressions to the Marvel
Universe.
Hulk, Namor,
Dr. Strange and Silver Surfer are already over the top characters
and it's surprisingly easy to make them into comedic fodder.
The writing team manages to stay true to the core characters
and at the same time have kooky fun with them.
If
you've enjoyed their previous work, you'll love this too.
If you've never read anything by Giffen & Dematteis, Defenders
#1 is a nice place to start. Put your faith and your
cash into this book as our pick of the week.
Runners-up
Birds
of Prey #84: Like Bendis' work on Daredevil,
Gail Simone has been doing such high quality work on Birds
of Prey, it will be hard for a future writer to top
her run. Issue #84 deals with Barbara's infection by Brainiac
while the Singapore drug lord plot takes a temporary back
seat. The
final page of the issue is a questionable cliffhanger as
I don't believe it's within the nature of the character
to do what she does, but that's for us to debate next month.
Daredevil
#75: The five part "Decalogue" storyline comes
to a close here with satisfying resolve. While not one of
the stronger storylines in their run on Daredevil,
Bendis and Maleev are still writing the book better than
anyone else has in a couple of decades. Issue #76 kicks
off their final storyline (for now, we hope). If you're
not already reading Daredevil, you're missing one
of the best books Marvel has to offer.
Sight
Unseen
Plastic
Man #17: Funny last month, funny this month.
Kitty
Pride: Shadow & Flame #2: Didn't read it last month.
Won't read it this month.
House
of M: Cable & Deadpool #17: Because fans demanded it?
Gotham
Knights #67: Lieberman is doing more with the Hush character
than Jeph Loeb did. Mandatory reading for Batman fans.
JSA:
Classified 1: Geoff Johns' long promised explanation behind
Powergirl. Since she has at least two different origins, the
book ships with two different covers. Neither are drawn by
Greg Land.
Astonishing
X-Men 11: Total no-brainer. Buy it and try not to drool
on it.
Sure
to Suck
Gerbils,
Midgets & the Unmentionable Things That Happened in San
Diego: Derek and Mish'al's Hotel Room Adventure #1:
The title to this book seems long and excessive, but not
as excessive as the Jim Lee centerfold. Skip buying this
book and wait for the Cinemax movie.
Everything
Else Shipping Wednesday July 20, 2005
MARVEL
Exiles 67
GLA 4
House of M 4
House of M 4 Incentive Cover
House of M 1 Director's Cut
House of M: Secrets 1
Incredible Hulk 84
Marvel Knights: 4 #20
Marvel Knights: Spider-Man 16
Marvel Milestones: Defenders
Marvel Tales Flip Book 1
Ororo: Before the Storm 2
Spider-Man: House of M 2
Ultimate Spider-Man 80
Ultimates 2 #7
Wolverine 30
DC
Adventures of Superman 642
Batgirl 66
Batman: Jekyll & Hyde 4
Day of Vengeance 4
Detective Comics 808
Human Race 5
Manhunter 12
Robin 140
Teen Titans 26
DC/VERTIGO
Lucifer 64
DC/WILDSTORM
Authority Revolution 10
Ex Machina 13
DEVIL'S DUE
Forgotten Realms: Dark Elf 2
Mu 4
INDEPENDENT
Atheist 2
Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities 4
Castlevania 5
Conan 18
Girls 3
Gold Digger 65
Goon 13
Grounded 1
Hellboy: The Island 2
Love & Rockets vol. 2 #14
Lullaby Wisdom Seeker 4
Ninja High School 130
Northwest Passage 1
Oz Wonderland Chronicles Preview
Red Sonja 1
Rising Stars: Voices of Dead 2
Shojo Beat Aug vol. 1 #2
Silencers vol. 2 #1
Soulfire: Dying of the Light 0
Tales of TMNT 12
Wildguard: Fool's Gold 2
Witchblade 87
MANGA TRADE
Cromartie High School vol. 3
TRADES
100 Bullets vol. 8
Art of Josh Howard vol. 1
Bone vol. 2 Color (HC & SC)
Captain America vol. 1 HC
Doctor Spectrum
Doctor Who: Tides of Time
Flash: Secret of Barry Allen
Invincible HC vol. 1
Marvel Masterworks X-Men vol. 5
Pulse vol. 2
Star Wars Clone Wars vol. 6
Strykeforce
Transformers: Way of the Warrior
Wizard: Michael Turner Millennium Ed. HC
MAGAZINES
Alter Ego 50
Animage June 05
Animedia June 05
Doctor Who 358
Dungeon 334
FHM Aug 05
Mad Classics 1
Maxim Aug 05
Maxim: Blender Aug 05
Newtype English Aug 05
Newtype June 05
SFX 132
Tomart's Action Figure Digest 136
Wizard Anime Insider 23
2006 CALENDARS
Buffy
Hello Kitty
Mythology: Alex Ross
KIDS
Archie & Friends 93
Archie Digest 218
Betty & Veronica Double Digest 135
Donald Duck & Friends 330
Marvel Adventures FF 2
Mickey Mouse & Friends 279
Mickey Mouse Meets Blotman
Powerpuff Girls 64
Simpsons Comics 108
Teen Titans Go! Vol. 3
Veronica 163
Hey,
write to us and let us know what you think, or talk about
it on the forums!
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