A Godly Find: Ares #1

War! Good God! What is it good for? Well, for one thing, it is very useful when it comes to crushing your enemies, driving them before you, and hearing the lamentations of their women. If you're into that sort of thing. When the gods of Olympus needed some serious crushing and driving done, Ares, the God of War, was their go-to guy.

Unfortunately for Ares, ruthlessly and mercilessly slaughtering people by the thousands doesn't really make you a popular party guest. In fact, Zeus and his fellow Olympians don't do much to hide their distaste and outright disgust for Ares. Even when he saves their bacon from the marauding hordes of Hades, the gods want nothing to do with him.

What does an unloved god of war do? In Ares #1, he packs his bags and tells the gods to kiss his mighty butt, that's what! Ares leaves Olympus and his fellow gods, gives up his violent ways, and tries to live as a mortal with the rest of us here on Earth. He works construction jobs, raises a son, and even attends parent/teacher meetings. Despite being substantially more enormous than most folks, he manages to blend in pretty well. Everything seems to be going pretty smoothly until Hermes shows up to recruit the unwilling ex-god for another war....

Ares #1 is written by Mike Oeming. He is the multi-talented guy who draws Powers for Brian Bendis, while writing Red Sonja, Thor, and now Ares. Oeming has already proven to have a great handle on the whole fantasy/mythology genre, and his work on this series more than lives up to that reputation. Not every writer can effectively put words into the mouths of gods, but Oeming gives these characters the power and dignity they deserve. The art by Travel Foreman effectively conveys both the nobility of Ares, and the dangerous edges of his violent nature.

Try out Ares #1 while it is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week! It's not like you have to climb Mount Olympus or risk the depths of Hades. Find out just what War is good for, read Ares #1 today!

X-Statix Presents: Deadgirl #1

It ain't easy being Strange! Doctor Stephen Strange, that is. Doc has a lot of responsibility, what with being the Sorcerer Supreme and all. I mean, he has to protect a whole plane of existence all by himself! Sure, he's got Wong hanging around, but Wong really just does the laundry and keeps the good Doctor fed. And what does a manly guy like Strange eat to give him the strength to shoulder his awesome duties? Apparently, green tea and dry cookies. EXTRA-dry cookies. Yum!

In X-Statix Presents: Deadgirl #1, Doctor Strange finds himself in a bit of a rut. He is pretty depressed about the lonely life he lives and the burdens he has to bear. His hemorrhoids are acting up, he has suddenly realised that he uses the word "suffice" far too much, and he is living on a diet of dry cookies. So, when he first notices that something funny is going on in the depths of Hell, his reaction is a resounding "whatever."

Of course, ignoring funny business in Hell is usually not a good idea. Strange soon finds himself entering into negotiations with a bunch of dead super-villains, along with a dead hero or two, who have decided that being dead pretty much stinks. They manage to get themselves a day pass back to the land of the living where they can enjoy some ribs, and maybe chase a man down and watch him choke to death on his own vomit. Ah, the fun villains have.

Admittedly, Deadgirl #1 doesn't actually have much to do with Deadgirl, but she seems to be on the way next issue. She's busy hanging in the afterlife with Gwen Stacy and Mockingbird. This limited series, by Peter Milligan, Nick Dragotta and Mike Allred, clearly has it's tongue firmly in cheek. It offers a great perspective on what it means to be a villain in the Marvel Universe (Lots of painful beatings!), and shows that even someone as cool as Doctor Strange gets depressed about life sometimes.

If these dead folks can drag themselves up from the depths of Hell for this story, the least you can do is drag yourself over to Four Color Fantasies to buy this guaranteed Book of the Week. Why not go nuts and spoil yourself with some extra-weak tea, some really dry cookies and a fun new comic to read? A little indulgence can be a good thing!

No Bugs in this Work: The Exterminators #1

If there is one thing about Mother Nature that most people can't stand, it's all the creepy crawlies. Mice, rats, worms, slugs, bugs and, worst of all, roaches. Nobody likes roaches, especially those big hissing cockroaches that science teachers use to traumatize kids. Ick. What do you do when faced with the creepiest critters nature has to offer? Call the Exterminators, of course.

The Exterminators #1 is the start of a new monthly series from DC's Vertigo imprint. Vertigo is a "mature readers" line of books, and this comic is definitely NOT for the young or faint of heart. Henry James, the ex-con star of our story, not the dead literary giant, is fresh out of the pen and in need of a job. Lucky for Henry, his mom recently married the owner of the "Bug-Bee-Gone" extermination company. Not so lucky for Henry, he finds himself training with a loathsome creep named AJ.

The rat-like AJ is an awful human being, but he is a pretty darn good exterminator. He also has some strangely overblown ideas about the primal struggle between man and beast that is exterminating. AJ may seem a little, or more than a little, crazy, but the rest of the crew at Bug-Bee-Gone aren't exactly the most normal people either. Despite having some serious issues of his own, Henry is clearly the least messed up guy in the Bug Bin.

The story by Simon Oliver is well-written and clearly going somewhere. There may be a roach revolution on the horizon, and if Henry, AJ, and Bug-Bee-Gone are our only defense, the human race is in big trouble. The art by Tony Moore (Walking Dead and Fear Agent) is excellent. He truly brings out the repellent nature of both vermin and exterminators. The gruesome details are, well, really gruesome. You won't soon forget how Henry deals with a rabid raccoon....

So get out a can of roach spray and head over to Four Color Fantasies to try out our guaranteed Book of the Week, The Exterminators #1. Just don't stop to pet that raccoon with the nice, foamy milk moustache. You'll be really sorry if you do.

Noir Heaven: Fallen Angel #1

"AAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
aaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! SPLAT!" What's that sound? Why, it's the sound a Fallen Angel makes, of course! Wait, wait! Don't stop reading. I know that was silly and inappropriate on so many levels! If you stick around and read about this week's Book of the Week, I promise it won't happen again. Sorry.

In today's comics market, publishing a creator-owned character can be a tricky business. Even a well-known and respected writer like Peter David has no guarantees when it comes to finding an audience. Fallen Angel was first published by DC Comics. The book was highly regarded and critically praised, but just couldn't find a big enough readership to meet DC's expectations. Lucky for us, a book this good couldn't be allowed to just fade away. Thanks to IDW Publishing, readers have a chance to find Fallen Angel all over again, in the all-new Fallen Angel #1.

Fallen Angel is a "film noir" story that takes place, appropriately enough, in the mysterious city of Bete Noire. Our hero, Lee, lives a double life there as a middle-aged girls phys. ed. instructor and as the seemingly youthful Miss Angel. Miss Angel is an incredibly powerful being. Her role in Bete Noire is not so much as a protector of the city, but as someone who stands between the city and its victims. The first issue of the series picks up at what seems to be a turning point for Bete Noire. Power is changing hands, and the city seems poised to plunge into chaos. Will Miss Angel prevent the plunge, or give the city a kick over the edge?

As always, Peter David's writing is both thoughtful and clever. Even if you missed Fallen Angel the first time around, this issue totally stands on its own. New readers quickly discover everything they need to know about Bete Noire to enjoy the story and to be caught up in the mysteries surrounding Lee. David's story is accompanied by gorgeous painted artwork from J.K. Woodward that is lush, dark, and pretty to look at. You'll have to read this book a second time, just to gaze into the panels and catch all the detail you missed the first time through.

Polish off your halo and walk, fly, or plummet to Four Color Fantasies now to try out our guaranteed Book of the Week, Fallen Angel #1! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh....oh, sorry. I promised not to do that again, didn't I? Never mind. Just read the book!

The Thing #2: Experience Ben Grimm's Other Life

Sweet Aunt Petunia! For most folks, getting zapped by cosmic rays and mutating into a big, rocky, orange "thing" would just be too much to handle. Lucky for us, Ben Grimm is not most folks. He took the hand fate (and maybe Reed Richards) dealt him, and became the "Ever Lovin' Blue-Eyed Thing", member of the Fantastic Four, and idol of millions. Now, Ben gets a chance to take center stage in his own book, The Thing.

The Thing, by Dan Slott and Andrea DiVito, is one of those comics that is just plain FUN to read. (Something Slott is quickly becoming known for. There is a new issue of his excellent She-Hulk series out this week too!) This series is very much in the same vein as Ben's previous starring vehicle, Marvel Two-In-One. Readers get a chance to see what the Thing gets up to when he isn't hanging with his "Fantastic" buddies. Of course, no matter how much Ben wishes otherwise, things tend to go a little haywire whenever he's around...

Even though this is the second issue of the series, Slott does a great job making sure you have everything you need to know to jump right on and enjoy the ride. In this particular case, a ride to the death since Arcade (one of the coolest Marvel villains ever!) is on the scene! Ben accompanies his new girlfriend, and big time movie star, Carlotta LaRosa to a fancy-shmancy high society party in his honor. Unfortunately, Arcade crashes the party and Ben finds himself, along with all the wealthy guests, hijacked and trapped on the latest version of Murderland. Guaranteed to be fun, right up until the minute you die horribly!

Lucky for Ben, he isn't the only one there to help protect the hapless wealthy. He is joined by a few other upper-crust super-folks: Nighthawk, a reformed Constrictor, and Tony Stark (without his handy-dandy Iron Man suit). The Thing and his colleagues find themselves struggling to protect the civilians from the deadly fun of Arcade's "Abusement Park." All of which doesn't seem so bad, until Arcade unleashes the mind-numbing horror of "It's a Small War After All" on his unwilling guests. The horror...

Don't let Aunt Petunia's favorite nephew down! Ya owe it to your Uncle Benjy to try out this comic today! The Thing #2 is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week. If you don't try it, you just KNOW it's gonna be CLOBBERIN' TIME!

Great Lakes Avengers: GLX-mas Special

Ahhhh, the holiday season. That festive and joyful time of year when the TV networks rerun all those lovely, heart-warming specials filled with peace, joy, and love. The season when everyone watches "Sound of Music" or "It's a Wonderful Life," just to see that adorable angel get his wings one more time. And the time of year when comic book publishers bring out those cute holiday specials and Spider-Man wears a Santa hat.

Following in that grand tradition, this year Marvel has brought us an extra-special issue of the Great Lakes Avengers. Umm, I mean Great Lakes X-Men. Anyway, since it is that wonderful time of the year, you just know that the Great Lakes Avengers: GLX-Mas Special is gonna have feel-good, heart-warming family fun... Wait! What did you say Squirrel Girl? This comic has violence, suicide, and an inappropriate use of the word FLOCK? Good grief!!

In case you haven't guessed already, The GLX-Mas Special by Dan Slott and an assortment of artists, is a hilariously dark antidote to all that treacly sweet holiday stuff out there. This one-shot issue is really a collection of short stories featuring the Great Lakers as they prepare for their big Christmas party. Some of the stories are just outright silly fun, while others are a little more thoughtful. The adorable Squirrel Girl and her new best squirrel buddy, Tippy-Toe (We miss ya, Monkey Joe!), lead the way through this four color sleigh-ride of fun!

I don't want to spoil any of the stories for you, but highlights of this issue include: Squirrel Girl VS Modok! A horrible candy-cane related death for Mr. Immortal! Squirrel Girl VS Thanos! The sensational NEW Grasshopper! Squirrel Girl VS Terrax! AND an incredible Flatman Marvel Legends Action Figure, featuring infinite points of articulation! If that isn't a comic book compendium that anyone would want to find in their stocking on Christmas morning, I don't know what is!

So hop on your Squirrel-A-Gig and fly down to Four Color Fantasies now to pick up a copy of the Great Lakes Avengers: GLX-Mas Special! It's guaranteed, so you should buy one for yourself and one for each of your friends. Don't let Squirrel Girl and Tippy-Toe down!

X-cellent Comic: X-Factor #1

An X-cellent, X-ceptional and X-citing comic that will X-ceed your wildest X-pectations! Mutant mayhem to the X-treme! The X-istence of this new book will X-hilarate you so much that you will never want to X-ile it from your X-isting collection. What on Earth am I babbling about? Marvel Comic's X-Factor, of course.

This new series from Peter David and Ryan Sook spins out of both the events of House of M/Decimation and David's recent (and really cool) MadroX limited series. Comic book readers who have been around long enough to remember "back in the day" of the early ninties may also recall a time when Mr. David took over the reins of the first incarnation of X-Factor. Back then, Marvel gave David a bunch of mutant characters that no one else wanted and he turned them into the best, most original, mutant team on the block. Mutant losers like Madrox, Rahne (AKA Wolfsbane), and Guido (AKA Strong Guy) were suddenly interesting and involving characters! Unfortunately, the ninties hit comics like a runaway super-villain and X-Factor was a casualty of the times.

David (with some help from Sook's great artwork) seems to be working the same magic with the all-new X-Factor. This time around Jamie Madrox (Multiple Man) is heading up the newly revamped X-Factor Investigations detective agency with a little help from his buddies Strong Guy, Rahne, Siryn, Monet, and (maybe) a de-powered Rictor. One of the things Peter David does best is to find new and different ways to look at old characters and concepts. In X-Factor, he has created a very different kind of mutant team book. This book has a very film-noir feel. These are not characters who are going to pull on spandex and go fight Magneto. They have smaller, and consequently, more involving, stories.

David also finds some great new twists to Madrox's power. On the surface, being able to make instant copies of yourself seems pretty cool. Don't want to go to work or school? Make a copy! Need to move some heavy furniture? Make ten copies! Got two hot dates for the same night just like on a cheesy sit-com? You get the idea. Too bad for Jamie, there are some unexpected dark sides to being your own best friend. Ever have a mental squabble with yourself over a tough decision? What if you actually got in your own face and gave yourself a bunch of lip over making the wrong choice? You would probably get on your own nerves pretty darn fast.

X-Factor #1 has all the X-citement you can handle! Buy a copy today while it is covered by Four Color Fantasies' X-cellent money back guarantee! X-plicate your desire to read this book of unX-pected (I stole that one from the cover) delights. Just don't X-pectorate on the sidewalk. It's X-tra rude.

Undead Fun: Marvel Zombies #1

Zombies, those loveable, shambling, undead rascals, have been experiencing a bit of a renaissance lately. For a long, dark, sad time, the walking dead stumbled out of the public eye. Fortunately, due to a recent upswing in the number of quality undead movies and comics, zombies are finally getting the respect they deserve! Or at least as much respect as anyone can have for a rotting, mindless fiend whose only desire is to eat you and your tasty brains. Mmmm, brains....

Marvel Zombies #1 is NOT about a bunch of crazed fans who only read Marvel comics, but is instead Marvel's turn at jumping on the undead bandwagon. (Not a wagon you want to be downwind of, by the way.) The events of Marvel Zombies spin out of a recent storyline in Ultimate Fantastic Four, but you don't need to read UFF to enjoy the undead fun of this comic. In a parallel dimension (not the regular or Ultimate Marvel universes), Earth's heroes become victims of a zombie plague. They retain much of their original personality, powers, and memories but they are still undead, decaying, flesh-eating ghouls. Unable to think much beyond their next meal, the undead heroes go on an eating spree, until almost all of their food supply (the citizens they once protected) is wiped out. They squabble over the last remaining tidbits on the buffet, until a new, tasty morsel shows up. A "delivery" from off planet on a silver surfboard....

Marvel Zombies writer Robert Kirkman knows a thing or two about writing both super-heroes and the undead. Not only does he write the greatly under-rated Marvel Team-Up, he is the writer/creator of The Walking Dead, published by Image. (If you aren't reading Walking Dead, you should try out the trades. You'll quickly find yourself hooked on this great series.) Kirkman's zombie expertise really shines in this comic. There is a lot of dark undead humor here, such as zombie Spidey breaking his leg "like, in half," but there is also some quite horrific and disturbing stuff to freak out the faint of heart. The creep-out factor is greatly enhanced by Sean Phillips dark, scary, and rather squishy, art.

Marvel Zombies is certainly unlike anything Marvel has ever tried before. Where else are you gonna see an undead Captain America carrying around a handful of his own brains, or a bunch of zombie Avengers arguing over how much of Magneto they get to eat? Nowhere, that's for sure! So shamble on down to Four Color Fantasies and moan incoherently until someone hands you a guaranteed copy of Marvel Zombies #1! Just don't try to eat your copy. You wanna save that room for some tasty brains when you get home

Changing Mutant Reality: Generation M #1

Mutants! Everybody loves mutants! I don't mean the radioactive horrors of '50s monster movies, but Marvel Universe Meta-Human, costume-wearing mutants. Marvel mutants have long been portrayed as a mistrusted minority, hated and feared by the world for being born "different." In recent years, things had been on a bit of an upswing for Marvel's gene-freaks. Mutants were popping out of the woodwork. There were so many mutants around that they were being accepted by the public as a fact of everyday life. Some mutants were even respected celebrities.

Unless you've been hiding under a rock, or (even worse) just not reading enough comics, you know that Marvel's recent House of M series/event/crossover changed all that. When Wacky Wanda (AKA Scarlet Witch) got ticked off at her dear old pop, Magneto, she altered reality to wipe out 90% of all mutants. In an instant, thousands (or even millions?) of mutants just didn't have powers anymore.

Some mutants are relieved to suddenly find themselves "normal." Other mutants are really annoyed to lose their super-cool powers. And some mutants just happened to be flying hundreds of feet above ground. Ouch. Generation M #1, by Paul Jenkins and Ramon Bachs, is the first issue of a five-part series that takes a hard look at the consequences of the "Decimation."

What makes Generation M particularly interesting is that we get to see the repercussions from a very ordinary point-of-view. Sally Floyd is a reporter who has experienced some really tough breaks. She is just beginning to get her life back together when M-Day hits the Marvel U. Amidst the booming anti-mutant backlash, Sally realizes that thousands of Ex-mutants are hurting. Someone has to bring their tragic stories to the public. Someone has to give them a voice. Sally is just the person for the job, but you know it won't be that easy.

If you are even a casual reader of Marvel's merry mutants, you shouldn't pass up Generation M #1. If you aren't an X-Men fan, you should try this out and see what all the fuss is about. This book is right at the heart of a major, universe-changing, Marvel event. Don't miss out! Run to Four Color Fantasies and try this comic now, while it is the guaranteed Book of the Week!

A Villainous History: Books of Doom #1

Everybody loves a great villain. Self-sacrificing heroes are all well and good, but we are simultaneously attracted and repelled by the lure of the Dark Side. Would anybody really care about Luke Skywalker if he didn't have Darth Vader to throw down with? I seriously doubt it. They say you can judge a hero by the caliber of his enemies. How did the Fantastic Four get to be "The World's Greatest Comics Magazine?" They had the world's greatest villain! The ruler of Latveria. The man in the iron mask. The one and only, Dr. Victor Von Doom! And I am NOT talking about that lame yuppy Doom from the FF movie.

Books of Doom #1, by Ed Brubaker and Pablo Raimondi, is the first issue of a six book series devoted to chronicling the life story of the Marvel Universe's greatest villain. The story is narrated by Doom himself, and he truly begins at the beginning with memories that start in his mother's womb. (Victor was clearly a precocious young fella.) We learn about Victor's earliest days, about the dark path travelled by his mother, and about the events that set him down that same path.

Doom has always been such a compelling character because of the two very different sides of his personality. On one side, he is a noble and honorable man who fiercely defends his people, and who risked the depths of Hell to save his mother's soul. On the other side, he is an arrogant tyrant capable of absolutely heartless and despicable acts of cruelty. A man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

Brubaker's story in Books of Doom does an excellent job of delving into Doom's character and showing readers his development from all sides. The traumas of Victor's youth clearly and logically shape him into the villainous Dr.Doom who would grow up to terrorize the heroes of the Marvel Universe. Raimondi's beautiful, yet somber, art perfectly captures the harsh Latverian countryside of Victor's youth.

Tempt not the wrath of Doom, feeble readers! With all haste, rush to Four Color Fantasies where you may purchase the stirring tale of Doom's earliest days! It is guaranteed, so you risk nothing. If you choose to ignore the dictates of Doom, and leave this book on the shelf, you risk everything! Do not follow in the footsteps of the accursed Richards and his blasted foursome! Doom does not forget his enemies. (Curse you, Richards.)

Bringing the Old West to Us: Jonah Hex #1

Ahhh, the legendary American Old West. It was a time and a place where, if popular fiction is to be believed, men were REAL men. Tough. Violent. Stubbly. These were men who didn't speak unless they had something important to say. They drank. They smoked. They did a whole lot of killin'. I'm not sure what the women did. I think they mostly wore corsets and served drinks to those tough, ornery men.

Enter Jonah Hex. Hex is one of the meanest and orneriest of this mean and ornery breed. He is a man scarred by life, literally and metaphorically. He knows God must hate him, but he's on a mission to send as many sinners on their way to Hell as he can. And the Old West had a whole mess of sinners, so Hex stays plenty busy.

Jonah Hex is a character who has been around for a long time but, even if you've never read a single one of his stories, don't hesitate to try out this new series. There's nothing you need to know that isn't made perfectly clear in this first issue. Hex finds himself tracking down a kidnapped boy, and when he finds the perpetrators you KNOW it ain't gonna be pretty.

This new series is written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti. These guys have worked together on quite a few high-profile projects, including some Punisher one-shots. That experience writing tough-as-nails vigilantes has clearly paid off. They perfectly convey Hex's character, and his rather dubious moral code, without overdoing the exposition. If you like watching Frank Castle hand out his brand of creative justice, you'll get a similar kick from Jonah Hex. The art by Luke Ross perfectly illustrates the violent and dirty world Jonah inhabits.

There aren't many western-themed comics out there nowadays, and Jonah Hex is a darn good one. So strap on your spurs and saddle up, ya varmints! Hit the trail to Four Color Fantasies, so you can try out a guaranteed copy of the brand-spankin' new Jonah Hex #1. Just leave your six-shooter at home, cause we don't want no trouble.

The Book of Lost Souls

Everybody loves a mystery. From Sherlock Holmes to the X-Files to Wolverine's real name, mysterious and unknowable goings-on keep people interested and on the edge of their seats. We love to hunt for clues and put together the pieces, working out the real story one bit of evidence at a time.

The Book of Lost Souls, by J. Michael Straczynski and Colleen Doran, has more than enough mystery to go around. The story revolves around a Byronic, sensitive, and outcast fellow named Jonathan. At a not quite specified time in the past, Jonathan was having a pretty crummy life. He didn't quite fit in with polite society. He didn't have the money or the connections to get a university education. He couldn't get a job. Worst of all, he was rejected by the woman he loved more than life itself.

So, when Jonathan finds himself standing on a nice, high bridge one night, it comes as no real surprise that he decides to jump off. What is a little unusual though, is the old man who wanders up just before he jumps and offers Jonathan a nice heavy book to help weigh him down. No sense jumping if you aren't going to sink, right? The book turns out to be the key to Jonathan's new "life after death." He is torn between the powers of dark and light. He has a job to do, but the job description is pretty unclear. Who is the Dark Man? What is Jonathan actually supposed to do with the book? And what does the talking cat named Mystery have to do with anything?

This book is published through Marvel's creator-owned Icon imprint, so JMS really has the freedom to take this story wherever he wants it to go. Fans of his comics work, as well as Babylon 5 and other TV shows, know JMS is a master planner when it comes to building story arcs. I'm sure he knows where this is all headed. The fun for the readers will be putting together the pieces of the mystery before we get there. Colleen Doran's art fits the sombre tone of this story perfectly. Plus, that sexy hunk of beefcake Jonathan looks like he just walked off the cover of a bodice-ripping romance novel.

This book will appeal to all lovers of the mysterious and fans of supernatural fiction. If you like your comics to be about more than guys in tights punching each other, you will like The Book of Lost Souls. Head out to Four Color Fantasies today, and try this comic without fear. It's guaranteed! It's the Book of the Week! Just don't try to use it as ballast for jumping off of anything! Comics aren't really very heavy, ya know.

Alien Zapping Fun: Fear Agent #1

How do you prefer your sci-fi? Do you like the boring and tedious SF where people go on and on about physics and gravity and, you know, actual science stuff? The kind of SF where WAY too much time is spent explaining how plausible intergalactic travel is and what it would be like to set up tariff rates for alien civilizations. OR do you prefer stories that just get on with the business of zapping aliens with ray guns and blowing stuff up?

If you prefer the latter, then Fear Agent #1 is just the rocket-ride to interplanetary action you've been waiting for! Fear Agent chronicles the adventures of alien exterminator Heath Huston. Huston is a slightly seedy, somewhat alcoholic, Mark Twain quoting, gun-for-hire whose jobs often seem to land him on the wrong side of the law. Fortunately for him, his motto is "If the law didn't see me, I didn't do it," and that seems to be working for him so far.

The first issue is really an action-packed teaser for what is to come. We follow Heath on what must be a "typical" day on the job for him. Luckily for readers, a typical day involves fighting off hordes of under-evolved ape men, dealing with brain-sucking jelly monsters, literally cliff hanging, and blowing up lots of stuff. It's enough to make a down on his luck alien exterminator really need a drink. Too bad for Heath he left his flask at home...

Fear Agent is written by Rick Remender with pencils by Tony Moore. The afterword in this issue makes it clear that these guys want Fear Agent to recapture the glory days of '50s comic book sci-fi as it was done by guys like Wally Wood. This is going to be a book loaded with action. Heath Huston is a rough and tumble adventurer who will find himself saving the galaxy from killer robots and hideous, tentacled horrors with a variety of zap guns and good, old fashioned ingenuity. The creators have big plans for this book, and I think it's gonna be an exciting ride.

Strap on your jet pack and don't let the Zagulon Hordes stand in your way! Do whatever it takes to get to Four Color Fantasies and try out this week's guaranteed Book of the Week, Fear Agent #1. If you don't read this book, the other space heroes will think you're a big scaredy cat. You're not gonna let them get away with that are you? Show 'em what you're made of, hero!

A Relaunch Not to Miss: She-Hulk #1

Some super-heroes never get the respect they truly deserve. I mean, honestly, what makes Spider-Man or Green Lantern any better than Speedball or Sleepwalker? Their powers aren't any more believable, and Spidey has had just as many bad stories as any other character. Spidey has even fought losers like Kangaroo and the Gibbon, yet he holds on to the respect of his fans while the Speedballs of the hero community are dismissed as unimportant. Some truly great characters have been unjustifiably ignored by fans, and it is time we put a stop to this cavalier treatment of those heroes who don't have the name recognition they deserve!

Start the movement today by heading straight to Four Color to buy She-Hulk #1! She-Hulk has been underappreciated for far too long. Maybe her origin as a girly Hulk spin-off wasn't one of comics most original moments, but look how far she has come since those early days! She's been in the Fantastic Four, she's been an Avenger, she's racked up almost one hundred issues in several series of her own, she's even saved the world on multiple occasions! What more does a lady need to do to prove herself?

Jennifer Walters (AKA She-Hulk) is no mere flavor of the month, eye candy heroine in a leotard. Sure, she's a gorgeous, green villain-smacking machine, but she's also got brains! Jen is a lawyer, and a darn good one. And Ms. Walters hasn't screwed her life up like some other super-hero lawyers, with a string of dead girlfriends and questionable legal ethics, that I COULD mention. On top of everything else, Shulkie has a great sense of humor. She can quip as fast as Spidey at his best, and look sexy doing it.

In case you missed it, Marvel published She-Hulk "Season One" last year. Written by Dan Slott (Marvel's go-to guy for stories that bring some much needed humor to the genre) with art by Juan Bobillo and Paul Pelletier, She-Hulk was a huge hit with critics and with any fans who actually read the book. Unfortunately, not enough people were reading these great stories, so the series was rested and relaunched (with the same creators) to hopefully attract more readers. The relaunch is upon us! Don't miss out this time!

She-Hulk has some of the most clever writing in comics today. The stories are witty, and include loads of subtle (and some not so subtle) references to the world of comics that will reward attentive fans. The very first issue has guest appearances by several New Avengers, and the Young Avengers, AND the Vision, AND Hawkeye (Not a hoax or an imaginary story!) She-Hulk WILL entertain you, so give Jen the respect she so richly deserves. Buy this book today, while it is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week. If you miss out this time, all the cool kids will laugh at you.

Not a Cheap Trick: Spellgame #1

It's maaagic! With the occasional Harry Potter-esque exception, most magic is pretty cheesy. Magic is the stuff of Vegas stage shows and lame TV specials where guys with ponytails wear puffy, silk shirts and dance around while pretending to saw a Victoria's Secret model in half. On the lower end of the magical spectrum, there are the sleazy con-men with big belt buckles and unbuttoned shirts who use card tricks to impress women and scam cash from the gullible.

Spellgame #1, from Speakeasy Comics, is about one of those sleazy con-men. John Dodge and his partner Harry make a living as "street performers," scamming the rubes with a combination of sleight of hand and confidence tricks. Of course, since this is a comic book, things aren't really that simple. Strange forces seem to be gathering around John, and his "tricks" suddenly take on a life of their own.

Being a skeptic and a cynic through and through, John doesn't believe in "real" magic. No matter how bizarre the circumstances around him, no matter how hard it is to deny the evidence in front of him, John refuses to believe that magic really exists. Dodge isn't going to be swayed by goblins, other-dimensional beings in bondage gear, or even walking, talking playing cards. Not even messages delivered by the re-animated body of his dead friend....well, maybe THAT will work.

Spellgame #1 is written by Dan Mishkin with artwork by Ramon Perez, and a cover by Darwyn Cooke. Mishkin's story is intriguing, and leaves a whole lot of unanswered questions to tempt readers back for more. The art by Perez has a simple, and slightly cartoony style that really shows off the magical weirdness that goes down around John Dodge.

If you want something a little different, and you enjoy stories that leave you just a little mystified, try out Spellgame #1. It is Four Color Fantasies' Guaranteed Book of the Week, so buy one today. Before it disappears, like, you know, um, magic. Poof!

Monster Mayhem All Month: Devil Dinosaur

Hey, it's October already, and you know what that means! No, not Oktoberfest, ya lushes! October means cooler weather, crummy plastic costumes, WAY too much cheap candy (just stay away from that mean old lady who gives kids those nasty Circus Peanuts and Candy Corn), horror movies, and, best of all, MONSTER COMICS!

Lucky for you, your good friends at Marvel Comics are lookin' out for ya this October with a whole month of cool monster comics! Under the banner of the Marvel Monsters Group, they're releasing a monster-themed comic every single week in October. Each book features monsters from the days of yore, before super-heroes ruled the comic book landscape. Each book also features a mighty fancy cover by monster artist supreme, Eric Powell. (And if you ain't readin' Powell's own book, The Goon, you better have a darn solid reason. Trust me, it's good comics.) Marvel wisely kicks off their monster-iffic celebrations with the return of one of Jack Kirby's weirdest creations, Devil Dinosaur.

Just in case you haven't been exposed to the wonders of Devil Dinosaur before, I'll fill you in on everything you need to know. Devil is a big, red, leathery tyranosaurus with a monkey-man named Moon Boy riding on his back. What a great concept! The only way Devil D could possibly be any cooler would be if Moon Boy was also a pirate, but that might just be too much of a good thing. Kirby was wise in his restraint.

Devil Dinosaur is written by Tom Sniegoski and Eric Powell, with sweet, sweet art also by Powell. (I'm tellin' ya, Eric Powell is a comics genius!) Are these great men content to give us page after page of Devil eating cave men? No sirree! This book also features Kirby's Celestials lurking around behind the scenes. In any other comic, that would be excitement enough. But Devil Dinosaur also has a titanic smack-down between the red one and the always incredible Hulk! Wait, there's more! This issue also has a reprint from Tales to Astonish featuring Kirby monster Xemnu-the ORIGINAL Hulk!

This comic is pure entertainment and Marvel Monster Mayhem. It is more fun than gorging on popcorn balls and cheap chocolate. It is ALSO Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week. With a money-back guarantee, you can't lose! So, if you don't give this great comic a try, I'm gonna save up all my Circus Peanuts and leave 'em in a flaming bag on your doorstep. That'll learn ya!

Join this Secret Society: Stronghold #1

If comics are to be believed (and they should be!), the world around us is just teeming with cool, mysterious, incredibly powerful, ultra-secret societies. These groups carry on campaigns to take over the world, conceal alien invasions, run the government, and protect us from the forces of evil. Most of them seem to offer pretty sweet employee benefits, too.

DDP's Stronghold #1 gives readers a glimpse into one such secret society. The Stronghold's job is to watch over and shelter a seemingly average guy named Michael. To them, Michael is also an amazingly powerful, god-like being known as The Primacy. His power is enough to accomplish a great deal of good in the world, but Michael doesn't know a thing about it. Instead of saving lives and becoming a hero, Michael drags through day after meaningless day in a dreary, lonely, unrewarding life.

The Stronghold believe that if Michael ever realizes his power, the world will be plunged into chaos and destruction. They believe that a truce has been called in the eternal battle of good versus evil, but that if The Primacy ever reclaims his title the truce is off. The forces of darkness will launch an all-out war on the forces of good. Result: the end of the world. To keep the rest of the world alive, Michael's life has to stay as dull and unfullfilling as possible. Makes being a god seem like a pretty raw deal, huh?

This book, by writer Phil Hester and artist Tyler Walpole, makes a great change of pace from all the super-heroics on the shelves. The characters are engaging, and there are enough mysteries in the world of The Stronghold to make readers anxious to know more. Best of all, I really have no idea where the plot is going after the first issue, and THAT is all too rare. Walpole's detailed black and white art is very realistic, which makes the fantasy elements of the story really stand apart from the mundane.

So, Stronghold #1 is a unique book with great art and an intriguing story. It is also Four Color Fantasies' Book of the Week. You have no reason not to try this book today. Of course, if you DON'T try it, The Stronghold may wonder just what you have against them. They may even have to start keeping you under close observation. I really don't think you want that, so try out Stronghold #1 now!

X-Men: Colossus: Bloodline

Before we even get started, I think it is only fair to warn you that this week's Book of the Week IS an X-Men spin-off limited series. I think we all know that those tend to be a little on the stinky side, but this one is actually pretty good! It was also relatively unhyped, and has gotten kinda lost in all the House of M/Infinite Crisis excitement of the summer.

Unfortunately, the title is an awkward mouthful, X-Men: Colossus: Bloodline. (I say no title should have more than 2 words, unless those words form a sentence, or at least a coherent thought.) As you may know, Colossus has only recently returned to the land of the living over in the rather excellent Astonishing X-Men. Having spent quite a while being thought dead, being tortured, and being experimented on, it is understandable that Piotr Rasputin (AKA Colossus) is having some "issues." He is plagued by nightmares, and a huge, armored Russian's nightmares can end up causing some serious property damage.

Pete tries to cope with the help of a little art therapy, but he is clearly still having some serious anger-management problems. The situation doesn't improve when Petey gets a mysterious message from the homeland. It seems that a killer with supernatural powers is working his way through the Rasputin family tree. Not only that, but the murders may have something to do with the most notorious Rasputin of all time...

Bloodline is written by David Hine with art by Jorge Lucas. It is nice that Hine's story is delving into Piotr's Russian heritage, since this aspect of the character has been mostly overlooked during his decades of X-Men membership. Lucas's art is very dark and moody, just the ticket for this creepy and edgy tale.

So, Colossus is back, the art is good, and the story is a unique direction for this character. Why wouldn't you give this a try? Don't let the generic and wordy title scare you away! Give X-Men: Colossus: Bloodline a read now, while it is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week! Pete has enough troubles, don't make him feel unloved!

Super-Baby? The Pulse #11

For quite a few very sound reasons, not many super-heroes have kids. The kid could turn out to be some sort of meta-human mutant with the power to destroy all of reality. Maybe the kid will get repeatedly kidnapped by villains and used as a hostage. Maybe heroes don't have time to change diapers and go to teacher/parent meetings. Maybe the baby will get infected with some sort of techno-organic virus and be sent to the future, only to return as a grizzled old freedom fighter out to change the history of his world. OK, that last one is a little far-fetched. Never happen.

Anyway, super-hero babies do come with a lot of problems, so it makes sense that Marvel's most neurotic ex-heroine, Jessica Jones, is a little freaked out over the impending birth of her child. Not only is she a super-powered mom but the father, Luke Cage, is now an official Avenger. If you live in the Marvel U, Susan Storm (AKA Invisible Woman) is by far the most successful heroic mom around. It makes perfect sense then, that Jessica turns to Sue for some parental advice.

That advice is the main focus of The Pulse #11, part 1 of a story called "Fear." Other questions are raised in this issue, such as what's up with the reappearance of D-Man, a lame former Avenger with Daredevil's old yellow costume and a Wolverine hat-thing? And can designer Janet Van Dyne (AKA The Wasp) come up with a look for Luke Cage, formerly known as Power Man, that is any less lame than his old yellow silk shirt and chains look?

The Pulse #11 is written by Marvel's number one writing guy, Brian Michael Bendis, so you know the story and characters are excellent. This issue will be extra-special to fans of Jessica's first series, Alias, since it marks the return of Miss Jones' first artist, Michael Gaydos. Despite many other artist's worthy attempts, Gaydos still draws the definitive Jessica Jones.

The impending arrival of a super-baby on the scene, the reunion of Bendis and Gaydos, and a terrifically funny cover (check out Wolverine!), all make The Pulse #11 a book not to be missed. Try it now while it is Four Color Fantasies' guaranteed Book of the Week, or you'll be on diaper duty next issue!

Nothing Wackier: Cable and Deadpool #19

+So, you are a super-powered, pseudo-messiah who has saved the world but been artificially reverted to infancy. As you rapidly accelerate through puberty and adolescence, you need a place to go to wildly and hedonistically celebrate your return to manhood. With the whole world to choose from, where do you go? Intercourse, Pennsylvania, right?

Well, maybe not. As Wade (Deadpool) Wilson and Nathan (Cable) Askani'son discover in Cable and Deadpool #19, Intercourse does not really provide the lurid thrills that the name suggests. In fact, it is such a dismal disappointment that Wade and his young sidekick Nate have nothing better to do than sit in a dingy bar and grill drinking their troubles away. At least, Cable would be drinking if he was old enough. Which he is. Except he isn't. Yet. But he will be soon. Cable must be a very confusing guy to hang out with. No wonder the Avengers never ask him to join.

While these guys sit and drink (or not), they talk. Admittedly, a couple of guys chatting at a bar in Intercourse, PA does not sound like a very exciting comic. Fortunately, Cable and Deadpool have led much more interesting lives than the average man on the street. Their discussion reveals a lot about the difficult path these guys have traveled to become the world-saving mutant hero and psychotic merc-with-a-mouth odd couple we all know and love. Plus, no one makes running off at the mouth more entertaining than Deadpool! He's a talker, that one.

Cable and Deadpool, the wackiest team-up in the Marvel Universe, is brought to you by writer Fabian Nicieza and penciller Patrick Zircher. Nicieza helped bring both of these characters to fame back in the '90s, so he knows his way around the characters. His stories embrace continuity rather than avoiding it, even the crazy, twisty warped continuity behind Cable. He also does good work with Deadpool's incessant, reference laden chatter. (Though no one can touch Joe Kelly's run on Deadpool, but we won't hold that against Fabian.)

If you haven't been reading Cable and Deadpool, shame on you! Issue #19 gives you a great place to start. You'll learn everything you need to know about our intrepid heroes to join them in all their future hijinks and goings-on. Try it now while it is guaranteed as Four Color Fantasies' Book of the Week. If you don't, Deadpool will book your next birthday party in Intercourse, PA.