The Fanboy Planet Preview Spotlight 08/03/05
brought to you by Brian's Books of Santa Clara

Derek is still on a "working" vacation in Southern California following Comic-Con. 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.

Detective Comics #809
Writer: Andersen Gabrych
Pencils: Pete Woods

I'm a huge Batman fan but the last major event "War Games" was a big disappointment. It was too long, too dull and really only accomplished the goal of killing Spoiler/Robin #4 who never should have been a Robin in the first place.

From the ashes of that failure however comes the promising four part story "War Crimes". It begins here with the repercussions of Spoiler's death and how it is perceived by the media, including a reporter who used to be a Batman ally. His arguments are logical and reasonable enough that I found myself agreeing with him and siding against Batman (albeit briefly).

Andersen Gabrych has a sold background in Batman lore. His work is always enjoyable even if it's not always memorable. Pete Woods' shadowy art style also seems at home in Gotham although he has an unusual habit of skipping over facial details.

The surprise on the last page is hardly a surprise, but does leave me wanting to read the next 3 issues. As an added bonus each part will ship weekly so the story only has to hold your attention for a month, rather than 4 months.

Runners-up

Daredevil Redemption #6: I didn't start reading this 6 issue story until I realized that I'd have to say something about it here this week. Luckily for me I was able to find the first 5 issues and catch up.

In the mold of Brian Michael Bendis' work on Daredevil, writer David Hine tells a story that is more about the adventures of Matt Murdock rather than his leather clad alter ego. Still, the story is enjoyable as Matt travels to a backwater town to help a wrongly accused boy avoid the death penalty for a murder he didn't commit. Hine handles the dialogue and plotting nicely and Michael Gaydos delivers the same outstanding work he's been doing over in Daredevil for years now. At this point it would probably be easier and cheaper to wait for the trade paperback but it's worth checking out when it's released.

Iron Man House of M #2: Andy, our local comic book dealer, posed the question "If the plot of House of M is that Scarlet Witch gives everyone the reality they want, why does Tony Stark want his abusive Father to come back and make his life hell?"

I still can't answer that, but I'm really enjoying reading about it. I haven't read an Iron Man comic in several years. If they have been on par with this issue, then I've missed out.

What We Would Buy

Y The Last Man #36: Month after month this book is outstanding. As much as I want to rush though to the end, I still want to savor each issue.

Gotham Central #34: Another quality book month in and month out. This issue guest stars the Teen Titans as the Gotham police department believes they have Robin's body in the morgue. With the way Robins have been dying and coming back to life lately, what's the big deal?

Serenity #2: It's Joss Whedon, baby. My pick for No Brainer of the Week.

Marvel 1602 New World #1: Greg Pak and Greg Tocchini (aka The Gregs) pickup where Neil Gaiman left off. Gaiman's mini series was interesting enough that we'll be buying this out of pure curiosity.

Ultimate Spider-Man #81: We bought the last 80 issues. Why stop now?

Appearing soon on Derek's Amazon Wish List.

DC Greatest Imaginary Stories: A collection of some of the best imaginary stories featuring Superman, Supergirl, Batman, and the Flash from 1946-1967. Derek's erotic Plastic Man/Aquaman story not included.

Everything Else Shipping Wednesday August 3rd, 2005

MARVEL
Amazing Fantasy 11
Daredevil Father 1 Director's Cut
Fantastic Four House of M 2
Marvel Team Up 11
New Avengers 8
New Avengers 8 Incentive Cover
Spider-Girl 89
Ultimate Iron Man 3 (For real this time? You said that last week!)
Uncanny X-Men 463
X-Men Unlimited 10

DC
Aquaman 33
Blood of the Demon 6
DC Special: Donna Troy 3
Firestorm 16
JSA 76
Son of Vulcan 3
Superman 220

VERTIGO
Mnemovore 4
Swamp Thing 18
Trigger 8

WILDSTORM
Intimates 10
Matador 4
Wildsiderz 1

INDEPENDENT
Artxilla One-Shot
Bear 9
Occupies 4
Common Foe 2
CSI NY Bloody Murder 1
Darkness 22
Emo Boy 2
GI Joe America's Elite 2
Grimjack Killer Instinct 6
Hero Squared 1
Hunter Killer Dossier
Imaginaries 3
Karma Incorporated 1
Knights of the Dinner Table 105
Kolchak Black White & Red
Metal Gear Solid 11
Monster War 3
Night Mary 1
Oddly Normal 4
Phantom 8
PVP 0
Random Encounter 4
Robert Jordan New Spring 1
Season of the Witch 0
Shaun of the Dead 2
Soulfire Dying of the Light 1
Strangers in Paradise 79
Stupid Comics 3
Zorro 3

MANGA TRADES
Cannon God Exxaxion vol. 4
Dragonball Z vol. 21
Naruto vol. 7
Ranma ½ vol. 19 2nd Ed.
Ranma ½ vol. 20 2nd Ed.
Rurouni Kenshin vol. 17
Trigun Maximum vol. 6
Yu Gi Oh Duelist vol. 7
Yu Gi Oh Millennium World vol. 1

TRADES
Aaron Lopresti Sketchbook
Arcanum
Avengers: Vision & Scarlet Witch
Ballad of Halo Jones
Complete Crumb vol. 17

Fantastic Four Foes
Fantastic Four Unstable Molecules
Justice League Elite vol. 1
Legend of Grim Jack vol. 3
Marvel Visionaries John Romita Sr. HC
New Avengers vol. 1 HC
Sandman Presents: Thessaly Witch for Hire
Top Ten: 49ers HC
Wanted SC
X-Men Vignettes vol. 2

KIDS
Archie 559
Archie Double Digest 163
Betty 149
Justice League Unlimited 12
Looney Tunes 129
Marvel Adventures Spider-Man vol. 1
Marvel Adventures Spider-Man 6

TOYS
Carnage Mini-Bust
DC Secret Origins Figures Series 1
Gambit Statue
Scarlet Witch Statue

2006 CALENDARS
Batman
Futurama
Wonder Woman

P.S. Derek is gayer than a fruit pie. He will also be back next week and I needed to get that in before my time expired.

Hey, write to us and let us know what you think. I think fruit pies actually have no sexual identity at all, but I don't know if that's more insulting to me or not. Talk about it on the forums!

Michael Goodson