It’s curtains at the circus with tents of terror courtesy of the Joker in this week’s Nightwing #16. Kyle Higgins and Eddy Barrows create a violent, spooky study in evil winning. Dick runs to Haly’s Circus only to find one horrific hearbreak after another.
This may become the ultimate Nightwing versus Joker clash. When I think of all the tie-in issues of Death of the Family this may be the toughest to read as the Joker unleashes one shocker after another at Dick until the final moment that will leave you guessing until the finale in Batman #17.
Young Avengers #1 by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie will pop with amazing style. Marvel will celebrate the relaunch with variant covers by Stephanie Hans, Trent Moore, and this Bryan Lee O’Malley (Scott Pilgram versus The World.)
Marvel.com shared O’Malley’s cool variant showcasing those teenage dreams of the Marvel Now. Could this be the must-have variant of the week?
Kid Loki assembles Miss America, Marvel Boy, Wiccan, Hulking and Kate Bishop for his new team.
Bucky Barnes and Natasha Romanoff are the hottest couple of the Marvel Universe. Evil operatives, brain washing and cold war comebacks have ripped Bucky and Black Widow apart. All the men in Natasha’s life (Wolverine, Nick Fury, Daredevil) have guest starred in this action packed epic but it all comes down to Bucky.
In this week’s Winter Soldier #15 what will Bucky sacrifice to save the woman he loves? It’s the grand finale of the Black Widow Hunt and the final Marvel comic from Ed Brubaker – for now.
(Brubaker’s creator owned Image book Fatale is a must!)
Brubaker’s final Captain America issue was last fall but this week’s Winter Soldier is the end of a an era. The return and redemption of Bucky Barnes will stand the test of time – and is the inspiration for the next Captain America sequel. Brubaker made Marvel’s dark underworld of gritty espionage a perfect setting where Steve Rogers, Bucky, Natasha and Nick Fury could rise to newfound glory.
Thanks to Ed Brubaker for an amazing run. Long live Bucky!
The hero who takes center stage in the current Astonishing X-Men arc is not a mutant but Warbird is a breakout character to watch! Warbird was introduced in Jason Aaron’s Wolverine and the X-Men as the bodyguard of Kid Gladiator (aka the heir to the Shi’ar Empire.)
When Marjorie Liu took over Astonishing X-Men Warbird joined the roster and now the wayward alien warrior is front and center. Warbird’s flirtation with Iceman has been hilarious and the flashbacks of her tragic past have been haunting. In this week’s Astonishing X-Men #58 Warbird is an enemy of Earth and the Shi’ar Empire. Can the alien artifact she’s discovered save her?
Not since Hepzibah was part of Ed Brubaker’s Uncanny X-Men run have I enjoyed such a great non-mutant hero hanging with the Children of the Atom. I hope Warbird sticks around or perhaps guests in Marvel’s space-based books like Nova or Guardians of the Galaxy.
Eisner-Award Winning Artist Francesco Francavilla joins Matt Fraction with Hawkeye #10 this April. If you’re not reading this book (you should!) this book is about the Avenging Archer when he’s not an Avenger! This issue kicks off a new storyline
“On HAWKEYE we’ve been blessed with not only one of the biggest writers in comics with Matt Fraction, but also some of the best artists like David Aja, Javier Pulido and now Francesco Francavilla,” said Stephen Wacker, Senior Editor, on Marvel.com. “Though he’s only on the series for issues #10 and #12, Francesco is going to leave his mark on Clint with some of the most beautiful art you’ll see all year!”
And don’t forget to pick up Hawkeye #7 – click here to learn how buying this comic book will help victims of Hurricane Sandy.
An X-Man got married to a Man. A gay Green Lantern was born. A Riverdale teen met his geek (and gay) icon. A twist on who was a Slayer in Buffyverse. Those were just some of the GLBT characters and storylines that made mainstream headlines, boosted comics and possibly helped change our culture.
GLAAD revealed their nominees for Outstanding Comic Book. Congratulations to the writers/artists/editors and publishers for the recognition. The nominations reflect on the big year for gay characters in comic books and the impact they have on society.
Astonishing X-Men, Earth 2, Kevin Keller, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batwoman are great books by talented creators but which book should win and why?
Op/Ed:
Do I have a favorite? I admit I have a X-Men bias but it was my first comic book.
I have go to with Astonishing X-Men. Northstar’s wedding to Kyle Jinadu was not just a one issue stunt. Jean-Paul has been out since 1992. Jean-Paul an Kyle’s romance developed in earlier volumes of Uncanny X-Men and the most recent Alpha Flight series.
Astonishing X-Men #51 variant courtesy Marvel
In Astonishing X-Men #51 Jean-Paul and Kyle got married in New York’s Central Park surrounded by teammates. Marvel even gave the book 2 variants: one with Jean-Paul and Kyle kissing and one with the happy couple on the cover with some of Marvel’s most famous couple’s on their big day. You may call that smart marketing. It is. By looking at this special cover it sent a message that Jean-Paul and Kyle’s ceremony and relationship was the same as Reed and Susan Richards and other Marvel super couples. (Let’s hope they turn out better than Scott & Jean, Storm & T’Challa or Quicksilver & Crystal!)
The wedding was not the end of Kyle’s screen time in the book. After the honeymoon Marjorie Liu continues to explore the complicated life of being married to a superhero in every issue. Who would have thought Wolverine would be giving a guy relationship advice about his husband? Remember when Jean-Paul couldn’t come out?
Astonishing X-Men #54 courtesy Marvel
Northstar wasn’t the only GLBT character featured in this book. Former New Mutant Karma was central to the storyline of Liu’s thrilling arc. Liu didn’t touch on Karma being a lesbian just a conflicted character who showed why she’s a great hero and mother figure to her younger siblings. It didn’t matter than Karma was a lesbian but perhaps Shan may find love now that she’s survived the villain of Liu’s first arc.
A final story for an X-Men book this week following the announcement of a brand new X-Menby Brian Wood and Olivier Coipel coming in April. There were some great arc during the latest volume of the (adjectiveless) X-Men.
This week’s X-Men #40 by Seth Peck is the beginning of the final arc as the current “security team” collapses. The David Lopez cover is beautiful and haunting and a perfect tribute to the end of his volume.
My favorite arc was Blank Generation by Brian Wood and David Lopez that featured Storm, Psylocke, Domino, Colossus and Pixie and introduced the concept of Proto-Mutants. This is must read for fans of Storm. The storytelling was in the spirit of the Chris Claremont/Paul Smith era. You didn’t need to read every other X-book. It was a small team solving a big mystery.
Batman #16 Bruce is about to confront the Joker in this critical Death of the Family chapter. The Joker’s plan is finally revealed inside Arkham Asylum. Is Batman ready the showdown? Are you ready to see what the Joker has waiting inside?
New Avengers #2 Marvel’s biggest brains gather to plan for the death of the Earth and everything? Black Panther assembles Namor, Reed Richards, Iron Man, Black Bolt and Doctor Strange but have the new Illuminati already given up?
Saga #9 The sci-fi space opera switches focus from the bounty hunter whose been track the star-crossed lovers of the series. The Will make have his own romantic hands full with an alien temptress.
Savage Wolverine #1 Logan. Shanna the She-Devil. The Savage Land. Frank Cho. That should be a ’nuff said but in just in case: Dinosaurs. SHIELD. Shanna by Cho!
X-Factor #250 Lords of Hell battle to control Earth. Will the heroes of X-Factor Investigations sacrifice themselves to stop the Hell On Earth war?
