Top Notch Package: ClanDestine #1

Writers are always warning us that the dream of immortality wouldn't be nearly as great as we think it would be, but, you know, I'd kind of like to test that theory out for myself. It seems to me that life's disappointments would be easier to live with if you had a couple of centuries to get over them. I mean, if time heals all wounds, and you've got unlimited time, things should work out pretty well in the end.

I bring up immortality because, though you may not have noticed, there is an immortal clan lurking around the edges of the Marvel Universe. The Destine family are all the offspring of 800 year old Adam Destine. This powerful, immortal, extended family mostly hangs out at the Ravenscroft Estate, trying not to draw too much attention to themselves. Of course, it is a little difficult to remain unnoticed when the youngest members of the clan insist on going super-heroing in their spare time.

Young twins Rory and Pandora (AKA Crimson Crusader and Imp) have powers that only work when they are together. Rory has grand dreams of being a hero, but when the twins start fooling around with the forces of badness, they draw unwanted attention to their unusual family. Father Adam senses that bad news is on the way, but it may be too late to do anything to stop it...

New work from Alan Davis, the creator, writer, and artist of ClanDestine, is all too infrequent. He's had some celebrated runs with the X-Men and Excalibur, but he doesn't seem to get the attention his work deserves. ClanDestine is a concept created by Davis a few years back, loved by those who read it, but the short-lived series flew under most reader's comic book radar. (Comdar?) Davis is in top form with this return to the world of ClanDestine. His art is detailed, dynamic, classic Marvel-style stuff. Combine awesome visuals with an intriguing story and interesting characters and you've got a book that really shouldn't be missed.

Look, you probably won't live forever, so you really can't afford to miss this book. Time is running out! Besides, you don't want a vast, powerful, immortal family to be annoyed with you. Read ClanDestine #1 right now, while it is the guaranteed Book of the Week!

Ready for the movies? The Stranded #1

I'm sure you've probably noticed that, of late, many movie and TV producer types have discovered the joys of comic books. They came a little late to the discovery that fans already knew: there are some awesome storeis being told in the sequential art medium. With all the comics being optioned for film nowadays, it's interesting to see a TV network actually helping to produce comics that could, someday, be filmed. The Stranded #1 is the first book to come from Virgin Comics in collaboration with the Sci Fi Channel. Written by Mike Carey with art by Siddharth Kotian, this book is a pretty darn good first effort.

The Stranded is about a group of mysterious aliens, forced to flee from their home planet. They ended up on Earth decades ago, and disguised themselves to blend in with human society. Most don't know that they aren't just as human as they appear to be, but there are a few caretakers out there, keeping an eye out for their charges. It's good to have sombody looking out for you, especially when they've got alien technology, superior knowledge, and loads of big guns. Gotta have big guns.

Tamree is one such caretaker, and she has to break out the big guns when her "sleepers" start to turn up dead. She quickly realizes that the enemy they have been hiding from all this time has found them. With her base of operations destroyed and her super-smart rat dead, Tamree has to get to her people before it is too late. Of course, discovering that they are really an endangered alien race may be disconcerting for some of them. (I think we should all have genius rats around. I'd give mine tiny little glasses and a fez!)

The art and the story in The Stranded are both very well done. This series could be easily translated to TV, so this could be the beginning of Sci Fi's next big thing, and you wouldn't want to miss getting in on the ground floor of that, would you? So, if you are who you claim to be, head out to Four Color Fantasies and try out this guaranteed Book of the Week. Just leave your rat at home. Unless he's wearing a fez!

A Look at the Avengers Legacy: Young Avengers Presents: Patriot

Back when Marvel first started promoting the Young Avengers series, I thought it sounded pretty lame. I pictured some sort of goofy "Jim Henson's Iron Man Babies" kind of thing. Boy, was I wrong! The series turned out to be an intriguing look at the lives of several teens who were, in one way or another, affected by the legacy of the Avengers. Some were angry, some wanted to be heroes, and some were trying to live up to an impossible standard set by Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The book turned out to be pretty awesome, so many readers were disappointed when the creators decided to end the series after a relatively short run.

Thankfully, Marvel is giving these characters another chance in the spotlight with the new limited series Young Avengers Presents. Each issue of this series is set to focus on one of the YA gang, letting creators have some quality time with each member of the group. We're certainly off to a strong start with Ed Brubaker and Paco Medina's look at Eli Bradley, AKA Patriot.

Eli, a young African-American man, has a lot of baggage. His grandfather is Isaiah Bradley, technically the first Captain America. Before the army was ready to try out their Super-Soldier Serum on the likes of young Steve Rogers, they ran early tests on Isaiah and other African-American soldiers. Isaiah was the only one to survive. When Isaiah disobeyed orders to do what he thought was right, he was locked away as part of the Army cover up.

His grandfather's experience, and all the other injustices in American history, have made it pretty difficult for Eli to proudly bear the name of Patriot. With a little help from Bucky Barnes, Eli examines his feelings about what it really means to be an American and a patriot. Plus, they bust up a bunch of A.I.M. drones, so there is plenty of head-bootin' action too!

If you miss the Young Avengers, or if you don't know what you're missing, you should check out Young Avengers Presents: Patriot. Brubaker has been on a roll lately, and Medina's art is excellent. Most important, though, is the fact that this is a comic that might just make you think a little. Seriously, the world needs more thinking. Try this out while it is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week!

Gravel #0: Hardboiled mayhem

Ah, Gravel. Seriously, who doesn't love Gravel? Without it, where would our driveways and aquariums be? Nothing grits a path like a little Gravel. Gravel is----Okay, I'll stop now. I'm not really trying to convince you to go out and purchase landscaping supplies. I'm talking about Gravel #0 from Avatar Press. I just couldn't resist the bad pun. I swear it won't happen again.

Gravel #0 is the precursor to a new, ongoing, monthly series from Warren Ellis, Mike Wolfer and Raul Caceres. SAS operative Sergeant Major William Gravel has appeared previously in a few limited series, but this is his first chance to headline a regular series of his own. Gravel is a "Combat Magician," but don't go picturing some sort of cute, Harry Potter-esque fantasy-land of magic. We're talking ugly, painful, magic. Gravel is one tough, mean, SOB. He makes Wolverine look like a girly cry-baby, who likes unicorns and ponies. If you've ever been pelted with driveway gravel, you know it's hard stuff. But not as hard as Bill Gravel.

This zero issue introduces you to the main character, stuck out in the Middle East, on a typically violent and unpleasant mission. When he returns home to London, he finds that things have changed in ways that make him unhappy. You definitely wouldn't like Bill Gravel when he's unhappy. He does a little investigation and lands himself a quest that should keep him occupied while he's on holiday, and gives readers a pretty good idea where the first issue of his new series will be going. It won't be pretty, but it will be bloody.

As with most stories from the warped (in a brilliant way!) mind of Warren Ellis, Gravel isn't for everyone. If you are too young, or too tender, for heaping helpings of over-the-top violence and swearing, then you might want to steer clear of Sergeant Major Gravel. But if you like hard-edged storytelling, tough-guy characters, and wonderfully inventive swearing, then you'll love Gravel. However; if you need to resurface the driveway, you'll want to try Home Depot. (Sorry!)

Gravel #0 is only $1.99, it includes a preview of issue #1, AND it is guaranteed this week as Four Color Fantasies' Book of the Week. What more could you ask for?

Avengers: The Initiative #8-now with even more hot Pym Particle on Pym Particle action! If that doesn't get your attention, I don't know what will! Maybe the cover of this comic, featuring two giant-sized heroes beating the living daylights out of each other while their hapless, normal-sized, peers run for cover? That should do it!

Seriously, if you haven't been reading The Initiative, by writers Dan Slott and Christos N. Gage and artist Stefano Caselli, you really should start now. As the smoke cleared from Marvel's Civil War, the big brains (Hank Pym, Tony Stark, and Reed Richards) who run the Marvel U got the bright idea to put a team of sanctioned heroes in every state. To make sure those heroes all knew their stuff, and could operate in perfect safety, they set up a training camp at the site of the Stamford disaster. Unfortunately, these guys aren't as smart as they think they are and things at Camp Hammond haven't been going very smoothly. The locals aren't really happy about having super-folks all over the place. The young, powerful heroes at the camp tend to disobey orders willy-nilly. And the guys at top have made some questionable staffing choices, such as a former Nazi scientist (awesomely named Baron Von Blitzschlag) and the super-villainous Taskmaster. Plus, anything with Henry Gyrich involved turns out badly.

Issue #8 starts a new story arc in which many of these bad choices come back to bite the Initiative in the butt. When the latest recruits show up, a fight breaks out between the Irredeemable Ant-Man (If you didn't read his recently canceled series, shame on you!), Cassie Lang (daughter of the recently deceased other Ant-Man), and Hank Pym, which is where the Pym on Pym action comes in. If a story where three giant heroes hit each other with busses doesn't pull you in, there's very little hope for you. That's only the tip of the iceberg though. The real trouble starts when the clones the Baron made of MVP (a young hero accidentally killed in the program) start acting up. When will these brainy guys ever learn not to mess with clones?

Avengers: The Initiative has amazing stories, with loads of action and plenty of character development. It has gorgeous art. It has a massive and involving cast of characters. It is pivotal to what is going on all over the Marvel Universe This is really a series no comics fan should miss. On top of all that, the first issue of this new story arc is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week. All that excellence available with no risk! What more do you need? Did I mention Taskmaster is in here too? I love that guy!

Arse-kicking comic: Northlanders #1

Of all the arse-kicking tough guys to roam the earth in “ye olden days,” the Norsemen (AKA Vikings) were by far the most interesting. These huge, hairy, burly, bearded, manly-men lived in places so cold that frostbite was a summertime treat. It would have been totally understandable if they just huddled around the fire and cried, occasionally breaking off the tear icicles forming in their beards. But no! The Norsemen wildly embraced life (and death) by setting out to sea in tiny, rickety, wooden boats so they could plunder, loot, and kill their way across the world, discovering new places and people, and killing as many of them as they could! (With liberal helpings of wenches and booze to help pass the time.)

Writer Brian Wood and artist Davide Gianfelice take us for a visit to this violent Norse world in their new series Northlanders. In this first issue, an angry young Norseman names Sven learns that his father has died, and his unpleasant Uncle Gorm has taken over Sven’s rightful inheritance. Sven seems not so interested in the land or the people his father ruled, but he would like the cash that should be his. Sven heads for home, a desolate place appropriately called Grimness, to collect. Perhaps to no one’s surprise, horrible old Uncle Gorm doesn’t really plan to part with any of his wealth.

Northlanders has a story that feels authentic, and the historical vibe makes it all seem significant, while still being entertaining. Gianfelice’s art is appropriately grim, dirty, and bloody. It also certainly seems well researched, the character’s appearance, clothes, and squalid living conditions all come across as very authentic. But don’t worry; this is no dry history lesson. There is more than enough sword hacking and face punching to entertain even the most jaded reader. And, man, could those Norsemen swear! All our best rude words came from them!

So if you like fighting, history, or swearing, (and who doesn’t?) you don’t want to miss Northlanders #1. No pillaging necessary! Just stop by Four Color Fantasies and try this guaranteed Book of the Week. Just remember to plait your beard before you leave the house. Vikings were all about beard maintenance.

Clever answers: House of M Avengers #1

If there is one thing comic book fans like, it's a good alternate reality. Whether it's What If? or Elseworlds, the Age of Apocalypse or the Spock-with-a-beard Mirror Universe, we like seeing our favorite characters from a slightly different angle. How would things have been different if Uncle Ben was a gang boss, or if Aunt May never made wheatcakes? We must know!

In Marvel's most recent universe-shattering, reality warping event, House of M, readers were given only the briefest of glimpses into the world where Magneto's dreams all came true. Mutants ruled and sapiens drooled, but with all of the frantic punching and Scarlet Witch bashing, most of the backstory for this alternate world was left to the reader's imagination. At last you can give your weary imagination a rest, because Christos N. Gage and Mike Perkins are here with some answers in House of M: Avengers #1!

Lucky for us, those answers are mostly about Luke Cage! And I'm not talking about modern day Luke Cage, cool though he may be. I'm talking about the silk shirt, chain belt, and metal headband Luke Cage. He's kicking butts and invoking our most popular winter holiday as a swear. Christmas! That's the Luke Cage I'm talking about! He's one tough sapien.

The first issue of House of M: Avengers gives us Luke's origin, his rise as a gangland boss, and his eventual turn to defending helpless humans everywhere by gathering together his team of Avengers. And what a team it is! You would be pretty hard-pressed to find a tougher group of non-mutants lurking around the corners of this alternate Marvel U. In just the first issue he brings Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Moon Knight and Tigra (MMMmmm, Tigra-just the kind of furry, striped girl you'd like to bring home to mama.) into the fold. There's a lot going on in this issue, and Gage's tough-guy story is well-served by Perkin's dark and realistic art.

This issue has it all! Except maybe Aunt May and her wheatcakes. They had to save something for later! If you miss the House of M, or just like a good alternate reality, OR if you love some old-school Luke Cage action, you don't want to pass this one by. It is guaranteed, so what are you waiting for? Christmas!?

Mythological Goodness: Thor #4

One of the best, and possibly craziest, ideas Stan Lee ever had was the notion to bring characters from mythology into the Marvel Universe. How awesome is it to have guys like Hercules and Odin running around with super-humans and mutants, delivering mighty, god-like, boots to the head of evil-doers? Verily, 'tis awesome in the extreme!

Of course, it is all too easy for these characters to be taken for granted. If writers treat a god of myth and legend like any other strong guy (No offense to Strong Guy!) in a cape, they can lose their godly grandeur. If Zeus just flies around busting bank robbers and muggers, you diminish the character AND you have a lame comic. Which brings us to our Book of the Week, Thor #4.

Thor has been absent from the Marvel Universe for a while, what with Ragnarok happening and Asgard vanishing into the mists of time and all. Fans knew the Thunder God would be back (Being immortal does tend to render Death a minor nuisance.), it was always a question of how and when. Lucky for readers, J. Michael Straczynski gets Thor. He brought the Son of Odin back with a bang, and with the awe-inspiring gravitas that is due a god who walks amongst men. This is the real deal, not some stupid clone/cyborg loser. (I'm looking at you, Stark!) Aided by the gorgeous artwork of Oliver Coipel, JMS makes Thor and Asgard as majestic and powerful as they should be.

In issue #4, Doctor Donald Blake (Thor's mortal alter-ego) and the Thuder God both strive to determine their place in this new world. Thor has brought back Asgard, but it is an empty kingdom. In this issue, Blake's medical skills find him helping a Doctors without Borders team in Africa. The people there are mired in a genocidal tribal war. It seems that no one from outside can help but, surely, there is something a god can do? And who are the three eerily familiar mercenaries who protect Blake's team?

If you are already a Thor fan, you'd be crazy to miss this new series! If you have never picked up a Thor comic, this issue is a great place to start! Either way, you need to try out Thor #4 now, while it is the guaranteed Book of the Week. This book is chock-full of mythological, butt-kicking goodness!

Annihilation: Conquest #1

Marvel has had a ton of big crossover events lately, and most of the hype and excitement has been heaped on to the Earth-centric action. Civil War and World War Hulk have been great stories, with some pretty serious consequences for the characters involved. However; the real, big-time, action has been going on way out in deep space. The universe-shattering wars of Annihilation make the superheroes little Civil War seem like a whole bunch of fuss over nothing.

Seriously, in the first Annihilation series, whole planetary empires were destroyed; strings of planets got blown up, major characters died in droves. You just can't get sci-fi, space-opera action on such a huge scale anywhere else.Writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, along with penciller Tom Raney, sure aren't letting up on the action in the latest series, Annihilation: Conquest.

If you haven't tried out any of the Annihilation events yet, the first issue of Conquest quickly gets you up to speed. The Kree Empire has been crushed by the seemingly unstoppable Phalanx, and bunch of techno-organic alien conquerors who can corrupt your technology as quickly as they can your body. Kree citizens are being melted down for fuel while the Phalanx are building an army big enough to subjugate the entire universe. The only hope to stop the Phalanx comes from the small groups of rebels scattered around the galaxy and a newly reborn Adam Warlock. Of course, Adam doesn't remember who he is, and he may not feel like helping, so the future doesn't look too bright for the Kree. Or anyone else, for that matter.

With heaping helpings of cosmic action, gorgeous artwork, and an epic story, Annhilation: Conquest #1 is too good to pass up! Fight your way past the alien hordes to Four Color Fantasies this week so you can, with the added safety of a money-back guarantee, try out this space-tastic Book of the Week!

Crazier than the Punisher: Foolkiller #1

So, like many discerning readers, you like the Punisher. You like seeing the bad guys get what they deserve. When Frank Castle strings some guy's intestines around like Christmas tree lights, or runs over someone with a steamroller, you get a guilty (or not) thrill. But every once in a while you say to yourself, "The Punisher IS awesome, but he could be a little MORE crazy!" You, my friend, need to check out Foolkiller.

Foolkiller #1, by Gregg Hurwitz and Lan Medina, is a new take on this often forgotten character. The original was a flamboyant Steve Gerber creation who went around in buccaneer boots and a floppy hat, vaporizing stupid people. This new version, published under Marvel's mature readers Max imprint (Definitely NOT for the young or faint of heart!), is a whole different kettle of vigilante justice. This Foolkiller is a massively-muscled psychopath with a cane sword, a vicious dog, and an evil jester tattoo. He's traded in the goofy outfit for a wife-beater and a buzz cut.

Foolkiller #1 shows us more of the horribly creative results of his "work" than of the man himself. Seriously, the Punisher is a sentimental old softy compared to this guy. He dishes out "poetic justice" in ways that involve some seriously creative mutilations and slow, painful, deaths. His motivation is left unclear, but his targets range from petty criminals, to rapists, to white-collar, big business guys. No one is safe from the Foolkiller. You really don't want to attract this guy's attention.

Hurwitz introduces the character as a shadowy urban legend, who turns out to be very real. The Foolkiller is a menacing figure in the darkness, who leaves evil-doers with his calling card (a "Fool" from the Tarot deck) stapled to their stumps. The fact that we don't know who he is, or why he does this, makes him that much more intriguing. Lan Medina's dark, detailed, and often gruesome, art perfectly captures the hyper-real urban stalking grounds of this mysterious character. Scary stuff, kids!

As long as you've been keeping your nose clean, and you have a strong stomach, you should check out Foolkiller #1. If you've been tempted to do something naughty, this book just might change your mind. If you've already given in to the temptation, watch out when you walk down a dark alley, because the Foolkiller might be looking for you!

Believable characters peak interest: Necessary Evil #1

When you're a teenager, parents are always problematic. Sometimes you struggle to live up to their expectations, sometimes you are embarassed by their dorky oldness, and sometimes you can't stop arguing with them. So imagine the psychological trauma you have to deal with when you find out that your sweet, pie-baking mom was killed in action as one of the world's greatest super-villains! You might as well pack your bags and head to therapy. Or super-villain school. Whichever works for you.

That is pretty much the choice faced by twin brothers Jake and Miller in Desperado's Necessary Evil #1. 10 years after their mom's death (She was the villain known as "The Matriarch."), they get a mysterious invitation to a secret meeting place. On arrival, they discover the Necessary Evil Academy-a school for super-villain hopefuls. The purple-dreadlocked Mr. Anti, who was with their mother the night she died, welcomes the boys to a convocation that will change their lives forever.

Writer Joshua Williamson has created believable characters and thrust them into this somewhat unlikely scenario. Jake is a little unsure about the idea of becoming a villain. He would like to get revenge for his mother's death, but he isn't too gung-ho about killing or mass destruction. Miller, on the other hand, is all too eager to get down to the business of being evil, maybe too eager for his own good. The other students at the school will be pretty familiar to most readers. There's the tough guy who wants to bully everyone, there's the dorky dude who just wants a friend, and there's the rich, hot, snobby girl who has all these teen guys in the palm of her hand.

The mix of familiar, real, characters in a larger-than-life setting is what makes this series worth checking out. The simple, yet effective, animated style art from Marcus L. Harris really brings these characters to life. (Though I'm still unconvinced as to the soundness of purple dreadlocks as a style choice. With a goatee and cape, no less!)

Let your dark side out for some air and check out Necessary Evil #1 this week at Four Color Fantasies! (If your parents will let you out of the house, that is.) It's guaranteed, and WAY cheaper than therapy.

Excellent One for the Kiddies: Teen Titans Go! #47

Hey kids, comics!

Most of us started reading comics at a tender young age. Luckily for us old-timers, the medium really grew up with us. The increasing range and sophistication of comics meant we never had to give them up. Hooray! But what about the new kids? Where are the comics for them? Unfortunately, there aren't many good books out there aimed at the younger audience. How will we hook a new generation of readers? DC has at least one answer: Teen Titans Go!

The comic book version of the popular Cartoon Network show, Teen Titans Go! offers up continuity-free stories with clean, animation-style art. Each issue stands alone and offers readers fun stories, without the violence and darker themes that might upset parents or the complicated histories that might confuse new fans.

Teen Titans Go! #47 offers up two stories about the lives of our young heroes. In the first tale, by J. Torres and Michael Chang, Robin has to deal with the anniversary of his parent's death with a little help from his friends and a mysterious, unseen observer. The second feature, by Torres and Christine Norrie, cleverly shows two different sides of the same morning seen from the opposing viewpoints of Starfire and Raven. Both stories are positive and fun with attractive, anime-styled art.

If you're looking for a comic that you can happily hand to a young reader, Teen Titans Go! is the book for you. On top of two great stories, you also get an (unintentionally?) hilarious story-tisement in which Superman fights crime with the awesome power of candy! (Remember those old Hostess Fruit Pies ads?) TTG is good, clean, fun for kids and adults alike. Check it out now, while it's guaranteed at Four Color Fantasies!

An Awesome Duo: Immortal Iron Fist #9/Annual

One thing I think we can all agree on: watching martial artists kick people in the face is excellent fun for the whole family. Obviously, it's not so great to be on the receiving end, but the guilty pleasure of watching is sheer joy. If you haven't been reading The Immortal Iron Fist, you've been missing out on heaping helpings of face-kicking action.

Of course, no comic can be built on face-kicking alone, so there is a lot of other great stuff happening in Immortal Iron Fist. The series is written by the deadly combo of Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker, with nerve-crushingly gorgeous art by David Aja. The story has just the right balance of gravitas and snarky fun. When dealing with the ancient and mystical land of K'un-Lun, these guys adopt an appropriately serious and thoughtful tone. This is a land steeped in mystery and ancient traditions, and they pay enough attention to detail to make it seem imposing and real. Danny Rand (AKA Iron Fist) is a rich guy steeped in being a bit of a smarty-pants, and the writers capture him believably.

In recent issues, Danny has discovered more about the past of K'un-Lun, and the previous bearers of the Iron Fist, than he ever knew before. He'll need all of that knowledge if he is going to have a chance to survive the Tournament of the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven. K'un-Lun and its six sister cities have come together for a short time, so, naturally, they have to kick each other in the face. Each city sends its champion out to fight for the honor of their sacred name, and the Iron Fist has to represent for K'un-Lun. Let the kicking begin!

This week you have a chance to try not one, but TWO awesome doses of iron-fisted, yellow-bootied action! Immortal Iron Fist #9 not only starts the tournament, it also leads directly into the Immortal Iron Fist Annual #1. The annual fills in even more of the excellent, pulpy, back-story of Danny's predecessor in the role of Iron Fist, Orson Randall. The annual has incredible art from legends like Howard Chaykin and Dan Brereton, and appearances by such incredible characters as The Bride of Nine Spiders, the Super Lightning Lord, and (seriously!) The Harem Harlots of Harlem. I think that is a level of excellence that speaks for itself!

Unless you want to find yourself on the receiving end of a yellow boot to the face, you better check out Immortal Iron Fist this week! Try issue #9, or the incredible annual, OR try them both because they're two great tastes that taste great together! Both issues are guaranteed comic book excellence loaded with great art, great characters, and your recommended daily allowance of face-kicking! Hyyyaaahhhh!

Ennis does Superheroes: JLA/Hitman #1

Garth Ennis is a genius. Honestly, I love pretty much everything he has ever written. Judge Dredd, Preacher, The Punisher, The Boys, War Stories: every one a winner and every one a heaping helping of comic book awesomeness. Ennis is best known for stories loaded with dark humor, stories loaded with over-the-top violence, or a combination of both. What he doesn't do very often, is traditional super-hero stuff. You can bet when Garth Ennis DOES do super-heroes, he's going to approach them from a different angle than most writers.

IN JLA/Hitman #1, Ennis returns to one of his best known characters-Tommy Monaghan, AKA Hitman. In a universe full of people with amazing powers and heroic determination, Hitman is just your average contract killer who, thanks to some pesky alien parasites, got the power to look through stuff. (You know, like Wonder Woman's costume.) When the JLA find themselves facing the terrifying threat of MORE pesky alien parasites, they need someone who has tussled with them and survived, someone like Tommy Monaghan-the guy who once puked on Batman.

Because he has to work within the confines of what is appropriate in the DC Universe here, Ennis' potty-mouth and tendency towards blood-letting are absent from this story, but his subversive edge is still there. Each of the JLA's big guns has a different way of dealing with someone like Monaghan, and their reactions are very telling. Is Batman right to condemn him outright? Is Superman wrong to see some good in Monaghan? Does Wonder Woman realize that Tommy is looking through her costume? Why is the Flash such a jerk?

In the art department, frequent Ennis collaborator, and Hitman artist, John McCrea does great work here too. He seems equally at home drawing Tommy hanging out in the seediest of dives or drawing the JLA hanging out in their fancy-schmancy moon base. Unfortunately, he does NOT get to draw Wonder Woman from Tommy's point of view for us. Oh well, you can't have everything.

If you like your super-heroics with a little vein of dark humor running throughout, you won't want to miss JLA/Hitman #1. It's got action, laughs, horrible aliens, bathroom graffiti, and a girl with an elephant head. (You know you're curious now!) Give it a try now, while it is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week!

Dying to Know: Potter's Field #1

For most of us, the only thing worse than the thought of our own mortality would be if no one knew or cared that we were gone. According to Potter's Field #1, that happens to about 125 people per week in New York City. These people die, often under mysterious circumstances, and the bodies are never identified. They get buried anonymously with just a number on their stone marker. No one cares, except John Doe.

John Doe is a mysterious, shade-wearing, man of many talents who has made it his mission to track down the identity of as many of these nameless bodies as he possibly can. No one knows who he is or why he cares, not even the many people throughout the city that he has enlisted to his cause. He doesn't have a name, he doesn't leave fingerprints, and he doesn't mess around. John Doe gets the job done.

Potter's Field is a new limited series from BOOM! Studios, written by Mark Waid with art by Paul Azaceta. Waid's writing is as excellent as ever, and Azaceta's shadowy art fits the dark tone of this book perfectly. You don't learn too much about John Doe himself, but he is an intriguing character with a quick wit and an impressive array of investigative skills. Even though this is the first of three issues, there is a complete story in #1, with a few teases to lure you in to Doe's next case. There is enough set-up to tell readers what they need to know, but no time is wasted getting down to business.

If you like your crime comics gritty and real, without all those guys in tights around, you really shouldn't miss Potter's Field. With a cool new protagonist, great writing and art, and a complete case solved in the first issue, this would make a great Book of the Week. In fact, it IS the Book of the Week! You don't get many guarantees in life, so you'd be crazy not to take us up on this one.

Sticking it to the Man: Avengers Initiative #5

One of the many valuable lessons we've learned from comics is that you really can't trust the government. You especially can't trust comic-world governments when they go trying to get their hands on super-heroes. No good EVER comes of government meddling in the world of super-powers. No matter how good their intentions when they run around force-feeding people super-serums and irradiating things left and right, it always leads to tears.

Of course, that unstoppable train headed towards Trouble-Town is what makes Avengers: The Initiative such an interesting book. In the aftermath of the Civil War, head honcho Tony Stark instituted the "50 States Initiative," which requires every state to have its own government approved and trained team of registered heroes. That training has to happen somewhere, so a top-secret base was set up in Stamford to train wannabe heroes. The fact that the training staff includes Henry Peter Gyrich (I mean, when has he ever done anything shady or evil?) and a former Nazi scientist called Baron Von Blitzschlag (Seriously!) doesn't necessarily mean that things won't be handled with the best of intentions, right?

OK, things do start going out of control pretty quickly. Gyrich and friends spend a lot of time trying to hide, and clean up, their messes. In issue #5, things get really ugly because the mess involves the Hulk. A bunch of well-intentioned trainees, sick of being told to do nothing, decide to run off and help with the whole "World War Hulk" situation. Gyrich, who doesn't care if they get killed, but also doesn't want a bunch of dead trainees showing up on the news, puts together a "Black Ops" team of new heroes, reformed villains, and government lackeys in Iron-Spider suits to go and rescue them or recover the bodies.

Writer Dan Slott keeps this book interesting thanks to the huge cast of characters he has to work with. He has an almost limitless number of new heroes, old heroes, and government secrets to throw into the mix, so readers never know what's coming next. Artist Stefano Caselli has more than proven himself up to the task of drawing this huge cast and keeping every character unique and interesting to look at. With such a great writer/artist combo, you really can't go wrong!

Avengers: The Initiative #5 has the Hulk, Slapstick, Constrictor, and the mysterious Mutant Zero (who is apparently someone readers are very familiar with!) and a whole mess of action and intrigue. What more could anyone ask for? (Did I mention Slapstick? I love that guy!) With all this awesome stuff in one book, it just had to be Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week! It's not like anyone is watching to see if you're reading the books you SHOULD be or anything. Really, the government is too busy experimenting on those little grey aliens to be watching you.

Furry Fantasy: Mice Templar

There are certain concepts, truly awesome concepts that only comics can pull off. I'm talking about stuff like super-genius, talking gorillas that wear pants, flying super-dogs, and radioactive animal bites that grant amazing powers. Right up there with all of those great ideas is a more recent trend: mice with swords! How great would it be if that field mouse in your garage was running around with a little sword and suit of armor? I think it would be pretty great.

Even though most of us don't want mice in our house, we love them as heroes. They're such natural underdogs (underrodents?) that you just can't help but root for the little guys against the cats, dogs, rats, and snakes that terrorize them in their anthropomorphic world. The amazing little mouse heroes of The Mice Templar are certainly no exception to that rule.

The Mice Templar are the furry little brain children of Mike (Red Sonja and Powers) Oeming and Brian J.L. Glass. According to the creators, the idea for this book has been around since 1998, but it took a while before they really decided the time was right to release the little guys into the "cat eat mouse" world of comics. Unfortunately, thanks to the timing, comparisons to the recent hit Mouse Guard are inevitable, but this book really does deserve to stand on it's own furry little paws.

Oeming and Glass clearly have an epic tale to be told. This first issue provides a big, satisfying chunk of story, but it is also obviously just the beginning. The mouse community of Cricket's Glen seems an idyllic and peaceful place. Whispered tales are told of the disgraced and fallen Templar, knights who once fought to protect the mice of the land. Karic is a young mouse who loves the old stories and idolizes the Templar, even though everyone tells him not to speak of them. When a raiding party of warrior rats attacks the Glen, Karic suddenly finds himself thrust into the dangerous world of the Templar. The fact that these characters are mice is almost incidental to the plot. The story is an epic fantasy in the Tolkien mold, the mice (as depicted by Oeming's gorgeous and stylized art) give the story a visual twist that makes it unique.

Don't hesitate! Scurry down to Four Color Fantasies now to try out Mice Templar #1, the guaranteed Book of the Week. You know you can't resist mice with swords!

Prepare to be entranced: Terror Inc.

The early '90s were a crazy time for comics. Most people thought comics were a license to print money, and the big companies seemed to publish almost anything, no matter how nutty the basic idea. Marvel Comics may have been the most susceptible to this madness. They churned out, like, a million books a month and there were more crossovers and crazy ideas than most fans could bear. Most of the characters and titles introduced during that time eventually faded away. Some were pretty bad (I'm looking at you Darkhawk and Warheads), but some were pure, crazy, gold that deserved to live on (Sleepwalker and Slapstick rule!).

One of the strangest, and coolest, characters to come out of that glut has finally returned in Terror Inc. In the '90s, Terror was a detective in a fedora hat, who was also dead. He was decaying away, but could take other people's body parts and stick them on to replace his rotting bits. The new Terror, from Marvel's mature readers Max label, is essentially that same guy, but he's "fleshed out" a little more. (Get it, fleshed out? Ha!) As this first issue begins, Terror fills us in on his long, weird history. It turns out, he has been around a while. He was one of the Vandals involved in the sacking of Rome. He was a warrior and hero, who got all the babes. Then he ran afoul of some black magic, and he ended up a rotting carcass that couldn't die in constant need of replacement parts. Bit of a comedown, really.

In Terror Inc. #1, by David Lapham and Patrick Zircher, Terror is working as a top-of-the-line hitman for hire. Lapham is known for writing gritty crime comics, so Terror Inc. is a perfect fit for his style. This Terror is grounded very much in the real world, with the main character being pretty much the only fantasy element. Lapham does a great job with dark machinations and tough guy dialogue. If you like Ennis' Punisher or Brubaker's Criminal, you will probably love Terror Inc. Though the action and violence are way over the top, there is also a vein of dark humor in this story that I loved. Zircher's art is equally excellent, with a level of realism and detail that I think make this his best work yet.

Terror Inc. is a great book that hasn't gotten the promotional hype it deserves. Don't let this one get away! Get all of your best body parts together and head to Four Color Fantasies where you can try out Terror Inc. #1 while it is the guaranteed Book of the Week. Now if only Marvel would give Slapstick his own Max title...

Annihilation: Conquest-Wraith

Everybody loves a mysterious hero. You know the guy I'm talking about: the mysterious loner with no name who rides into town, just trying to mind his own business. He's a man of few words, who goes out of his way to avoid trouble, but trouble always seems to come looking for him. Someone always pushes him one step too far, and gets a serious butt-whuppin for his trouble. That's the guy I'm talking about.

Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Kyle Hotz have brought the mysterious hero to Marvel's cosmic, sci-fi universe in Annihilation: Conquest-Wraith. (Henceforth referred to only as Wraith.) In the aftermath of the huge, galaxy-wide, throwdown that was the Annihilation War, the Phalanx (a bunch of Borg-like techo-organic aliens) move in on the wrecked Kree Empire. They put up an impenetrable barrier around the Kree worlds and start assimilating everything in sight.

Then a mysterious blue loner shows up, and things start going badly for the Phalanx. He has weapons and abilities beyond their abililty to understand. He's trying to mind his own business, looking for a man wearing a signet ring of a skull engulfed in flames, but the Phalanx do not like things they don't understand. They pursue this mysterious hero, and eventually give him a name: Wraith.

Even though this 4 issue limited series is part of the massive Annihilation: Conquest crossover, it can easily be read and enjoyed on its own. (I haven't read any of the other books in the series, and I had no problem jumping into this story.) The central mystery of the series makes it compelling reading and Kyle Hotz's stylish, detailed art is a joy to behold. This series also has awesome covers from 2000 AD's Clint Langley, so you really can't go wrong.

Don't be a loner! Head over to Four Color Fantasies and pick up Wraith #2 while it is the guaranteed Book of the Week. There are still copies of #1 in stock, so if you ask nicely, you can get them both! Just make sure you smile when you ask, stranger. Nobody trusts a stranger who doesn't smile.

Turning Villians into Heroes: Thunderbolts One-Shot

It's a great time to be a jerk in the Marvel Universe. I mean, they've been making some great comics over at the House of Ideas, but events have conspired to really allow the jerks to flourish. The Illuminati are all CLEARLY a bunch of self-righteous jerks, except for Namor, who's just unpleasant on his own. Tony Stark has become the big-shot king of the jerks, and I'm sure his upcoming movie won't settle him down any. With Stark in charge, S.H.I.E.L.D. has pretty much become a bunch of fascist little jerks in uniform. All the nice-guy heroes, like Spidey, are on the run or conscripted into the Initiative. (I'm thinking Slapstick here! That guy deserves his own book again. He could team-up with Squirrel Girl!)

All this jerkitude leads us to the point where a guy as evil and calculating as that Gwen Stacy-killing jerk Norman Osborn gets put in charge of the super-human dogcatchers known as the Thunderbolts. Not only is Osborn in charge, but he's got guys like Bullseye and Venom working for him! Sure, they're all supposedly kept under control by nanites in their blood, but does anyone really think it's a good idea to put these dudes together and give them deputy badges? When Moonstone is the most trustworthy person on your team, you've got problems.

In the one-shot Thunderbolts: Desperate Measures, by Paul Jenkins and Steve Lieber, Osborn truly allows his jerky side to show. He picks the team's next target mostly based on how amusing he thinks their attempts to capture said target will be. You know from his smirk that Osborn is up to no good when he sends Bullseye and Penance (the formerly upbeat Speedball) to take out a vigilante known as "Americop." Why does he pick this dynamic duo to take on Americop? I won't give it away here, but the results don't make Penance any cheerier than usual, that's for sure.

This new take on the Thunderbolts is definitely an unusual concept for a team book, and Jenkins seems to enjoy running with that oddness here. Nothing here is what readers would typically expect from a super-hero team. Giving readers the unexpected is what Thunderbolts is really all about these days, and this one-shot is no exception.

If you like your comics with a dose of dark humor, Thunderbolts: Desperate Measures should be just your cup of tea. The one thing that could have made this book better though, would be a return appearance of P-Cat, the Penitent Puss, but I suppose you can't have everything. Don't be a jerk! Pick this book up now, while it is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week! (And before Squirrel Girl shows up to clean out this group of evil, evil people!)