Here’s the latest list of what to spend your hard earn money on and what should be used as recycling material…

BUY IT!

Fantastic Four #566-567 -I’m a huge Mark Millar fan and I picked up Bryan Hitch’s art waaay back when he worked on She-Hulk. But, I haven’t been a fan of their run on FF until these two issues. Throughout their run, Millar has done a great job of expanding the role that their kids, Franklin and Val, have in the series. I especially like the fact that Val is much smarter than Franklin, even though he is more powerful. Other than that, since Millar & Hitch have been on the title, I flip through the pretty art and put it back on the shelf. But, they’ve just dropped a bombshell a la Empire Strikes Back: DR. DOOM BOWS TO HIS MASTER?!? The worst (best or however you want to look at it… he kicks hero @$$…) villain in the Marvel U answers to somebody else?!? Holy Emperor Palpatine, Batman! Through the events of the first few issues of Dark Avengers (pick them up if you haven’t already!), Doom is released by Osborne and allowed to return to Latveria. All the citizens of the country turn out to welcome Doom home and to greet Doom’s master (again “?!?”). As Doom bows, the Marquis of Death and his new apprentice(OK, so it is sounding a little like Star Wars…)appear in a flash of lightning from the sky. The Marquis tells Doom that he is a failure & a disappointment right before he hits Doom with a fireball. Doom fights back and seems to win as we pick up 5 years later. Reed is dead, Ben is fat and has lost an arm, and Sue is pregnant with Doom’s baby. Doom has changed his ways, cured AIDs, cancer, blindness and built a monument to the FF. Back in Latveria, Doom & Sue talk about how content and happy they are when BAM, Sue is the apprentice and the Marquis is standing behind Doom. In the real world, Doom hasn’t even opened his eyes yet. The Marquis then seems to annihlate Latveria, kills Doom and sends his body into the past to be eaten by giant sharks. He then puts on the battered mask of Doom and says, “…starting with the Fantastic Four. Let’s see how they fare against the new Doctor Doom.”

Uncanny X-men #511 - The issue we’ve been waiting for. The teases have been going on for months – The return of Phoenix! Last issue, The Red Queen and her Sisterhood stole a lock of Jean’s hair from Logan’s room. They also managed to revive Kwannon/Psylocke to join them. Long story short, Cyclops outmanuvers everybody, beats her to Jean’s grave and switches the body. When the Red Queen tries to reclaim/revive the Phoenix, she is consumed. We, the X-Fans, were taken in by the old “bait-&-switch.” Jean’s not back, but Psylocke is. Yay! That’s one past f-up rectified. The real gotcha in this issue was Beast confronting Scott and Emma in their bed about the secrets they are both keeeping from each other and the rest of the team. He’s taking his new “X-Club” on a mission and wants answers when he returns. X-Force and Dark Reign might be out of the bag…

Black Panther 2 #5 - T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, is rejected by the Panther God, but not killed as usually is the case. Storm has entered that realm of Death to reclaim T’Challa’s soul and reveals that someone must stay in his place. All this and Morlun, Devourer of Totems is coming for the Black Panther – whoever it may be. Shuri puts on the Mantle of the Panther anyway to confront Morlun as he makes his way into the palace. So, Storm can’t die – she’s in too many X-books. It comes down to if Shuri can prove her worth or does she stay in Death’s realm in T’Challa’s place. It’s time for Storm to rejoin the X-Men on a permanent basis…

Batman & Robin #1 – Thankfully, Dick Grayson, aka: Nightwing, has finally decided to grow a pair and take on the role he was raised to have. With Bruce Wayne’s son, Damian as Robin, Dick has moved out of the Batcave and created a new “Bat-Home” to run the family business. Damian has been revealed to have the same genius-level intellect as Bruce, but not his sense of justice or restraint. The biggest draw to this book will be the team of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. So, we’ll get weird stories and great art. I think this is the natural progression for Dick as a character and can’t wait to see where Tim Drake ends up…

X-Men: Forever #1 – Chris Claremont is back writing the X-Men in the Claremont/Lee era of the ’90′s. Taking place right after the destruction of Asteroid M in X-Men #1-3, the X-Men (Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Jean, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Rogue, Gambit and Prof. X), are on the hunt for Fabian Cortez. My first regular comic series was Uncanny X-Men. Claremont was a god in my world. But as I grew older and he tried to escape his X-Men typecast, I realized that the industry and the readers’ taste and sophistication, had left him behind. I think that he finally understands that too, which is why he is going back to his “golden age” with artist Tom Grummett. For anybody who read the X-Men in this era, this is the title for you. It’s like going back in time to a simpler age of comics.

New Avengers #53 – It’s the reveal of who is going to be the new Sorcerer Supreme! Cap-Bucky is packing some serious heat as the Avengers help Daimon Hellstrom fight off The Hood and Dormammu in New Orleans. Great battle sequences between the Avengers and Madam Masque. Cap-Bucky winds up shooting her as she tries to get away with a hostage; Spider-Man practically flips out on Cap-Bucky for even using guns. But the reveal is almost comical: Brudder Voodoo (sorry BROTHER Voodoo). Really? Brother Voodoo? Sorcerer Supreme? It would make batter sense for Dr. Doom to have the title. To see Voodoo in the cape with the Eye of Agamotto was dumb and a let down. I hope Bendis has a twist in the next issue, ya know, like Dr. Strange stops feeling sorry for himself and reclaims the mantle. Otherwise, yeeesh.

Mighty Avengers #25 – Hank Pym and crew are back at his lab/HQ outside of time and space, just as Jocasta and Jarvis had to severe the link that keeps the lab connected to the real world. Quicksilver and U.S. Agent go to China on a call, winding up several hundred miles away from where they want to be. All of that aside, the real reason to pick this book up is the brewing fight between the big brains of Reed Richards and Hank Pym. Reed has a machine that Hank built that will save his lab, but Reed will not give it up because he considers Hank too unstable. Hank responds by telling Reed that he’s the one who invented the Pym Particles the machine runs on. From here, I’ll give you a play-by-play - Reed: “That may be the case, but we both know… I know more about Pym Particles than you.” Hank: “Dr. Richards?” Reed: “Hank?” Hank: “It’s on, bitch.” Let’s get it on! Instant classic dialogue and good story makes this one I look forward to every month.

Red Robin #1 – Hey, it was a short wait. Ticked at not being included in Dick’s new “Bat-plans”, Tim Drake has adopted the identity of Red Robin (originated by Jason Todd a few months back…) and is travelling around the world, searching for Bruce Wayne. Tim believes in his heart that Bruce is still alive and because he’s a better detective than Dick, he begins looking for any sign of Bruce. Grieving and bitter at Dick and Damian, Tim is becoming a little more reckless and driven; taking chances and throwing one too many punches. Seems that Ras Al Ghul has been tracking Tim and still has plans for him. I really like the Tim Drake character and hope this book doesn’t kill the coolness…

X-Men: Legacy #224 - Prof. X has reset and freed Danger (the sentient manifestation of the Danger-Room…) and finally, finally managed to help Rogue. It’s been over 20 years since Rogue made her appearance and she has never really grown as a character. Don’t get me wrong; Marvel’s bullpen has done a good job of exploring every inch of her psyche and throwing her multiple curveballs, but she’s never truly changed from her first appearance waaaay back in Avengers Annual #10 in 1981. With the help of Prof. X, Danger and the Messiah Mutant, Rogue can now fully control her powers and proves it by kissing Gambit full on. Does anybody realize how powerful she can now be? Like frickin’ Class 5 easy. She could play Mimic like a bitch. I’m just wondering how the X-teams are going to shake out after Prof. X, Danger, Gambit and Rogue return as Dark X-men hits, Beast is confronting Scott and Emma about their assorted secrets and Wolverine pissed at Scott for zapping X-Force to the future before they could save Boomer.

RECYCLE IT!

Wolverine #72: Old Man Logan part 7 - I am soooo past caring about this story, it’s not even funny. I would be singing it’s praises if IT HAD BEEN ON TIME!!! And the wrap up was so stupid. Wait – IT’S NOT EVEN DONE YET!!! At least someone at Marvel finally decided to act like they were in charge and has allowed the regular creative team to resume as the title leads into Dark Wolverine (now featuring 100% more Daken!). The Old Man Logan storyline will conclude in Wolverine: Old Man Logan: Giant-Sized Special. I’ve always been a sucker for What If…?, Elseworlds and other assorted future storylines. But, this sucked. It started well enough, but this issue was crap. even if I had picked this up in a trade, I think I’d still be mad about spending my money.

Absolution #0 – A new title from Avatar and Christos Gage, Absolution is the story about a superhero that is tired of reacting to problems with kid gloves. John Dusk is a superhero fully sanctioned by law enforcement and simply gets tired of waiting for potential criminals to actually commit the crime. Typical indy story that just seems kind of tired by now.

Resurrection 2 #1 – Wow. After the Free Comic Book Day comic leading into this issue, I was way excited to see this book come in. What a let down. The art isn’t the same, and the story doesn’t even focus on the same characters. Lame.

What are you reading?