New Mutants

This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written by WorthPoint Comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday Matt takes a look at trends—good and bad—in the world of comic books from a collector’s point-of-view. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here and he encourages fellow comic nerds to post your comments below.

As you may already know This Week in Geek is changing, yet again. I’m going to save the speculation, business and comic auction news for my other blog on WorthPoint, “The Comic Speculator.” TWIG will be a post-Wednesday-comic-shop visit blog where I’ll be discussing the comics I’m buying/collecting some that I had to pass on. Make sure and post your own weekly stack of comics below.

It’s been two weeks and still no sign of “New Mutants” #6. Anyone else out there waiting for this one? Much like the recent issue of “X-Necrosha,” and “Invincible,” due to shipping errors and allocations by Diamond Comics, many retailers did not receive their shipment of New Mutants. This happens all the time and usually the comics show up the next week. This time, however, all three titles are pretty hot and before replacements could ship, the comics sold out at the printers. In a situation like this there’s nothing the supplier can do to get the retailer the comics. At least first-prints anyway. Leaving collector’s like me searching for issues and talkin’ much smack about Diamond.

Below, you’ll find my stack of comics for the week of Wednesday, Nov. 4. Make sure and post your own weekly stack of comics below so I can make fun of what you’re reading and vice-versa. For a full list of comics shipping this week click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

My Stack:

Amazing Spider-Man #610
Assault On New Olympus: Prologue
Astonishing X-Men #32
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #30
Captain America: Reborn #4 of 6
Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #2
Doom Patrol #4
House of Mystery #19
Immortal Weapons #4 of 5
Nova #31
Secret Six #15
Superman: World of New Krypton #9 of 12
Witchfinder: In The Service of Angels #5 of 5
X-Men vs. Agents of Atlas #2 of 2

Assault on New Olympus

Astonishing X-Men

Doctor Voodoo

Thoughts on the stack: “Incredible Hercules” writers Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente have been writing some of the best and most fun silver-age-inspired superhero comics I’ve read since Bob Layton was writing the Prince of Power. “Assault on New Olympus” builds on a long running Herc storyline isn’t going to get press that the “Dark Reign” crossover is receiving which is to bad because but it’s going to be worth a read.

“Astonishing X-Men” has made it back into my monthly reading mainly on the talent of artist Phil Jimenez, who is channeling George Perez better than he ever has. I love Jimenez’s pencils and even Ellis’ story line is better than the previous “Ghost Boxes” story. I’m a big Ellis fan, but a bad shipping schedule mixed with some confusing one-shots made Ghost Boxes really hard to follow.

“Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural” #1 was Marvel Magik at its best. I’m really excited for this title, and with a team like Rick Remender writing and Jefte Paolo and Marko Djurdjevic sharing art duties, it’s safe to say there isn’t a better young creative team on a Marvel title at present. If you can find issue #1 it’s definitely worth your time and money.

Doom Patrol

Secret Six

X-Men vs. Agents of Atlas

“Doom Patrol” has me teetering. I had a discussion with a fellow collector and friend recently about the “snarkyness” of Keith Giffen’s Doom Patrol. Like said friend, I’ve decided to stay on through the “Blackest Night” tie-in, but in all honesty it’s hard for me to care about any incarnation of the Doom Patrol, and it’s not even Giffen’s fault. I love Kieth Giffen. Years of different characterizations and shifted continuity have left me indifferent. I just don’t think I care about the Doom Patrol in a starring role. Well see after reading this issue.

“Secret Six” is the meanest, nastiest super villain comic on the market and I love it. This is the comic Marvel’s “Thunderbolts” wishes it could be. It’s good to see Bane being well written for the first time in years. Thank you Gail Simone and keep it coming.

“X-Men vs. Agents of Atlas” is a desperate bid to get readers to check out the regular Agents title. Let’s call it what it is. That said, it’s excellent and you should be reading both this and the regular Atlas title. Jeff Parker writes GREAT comics that you should be reading. Comics that aren’t even that expensive I might add. Agents of Atlas #1-#11 are selling for less than $20 and you need them. So go and buy. Now. If Agents gets cancelled you are all in trouble.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

A preview for the upcoming Marvel title SWORD hit the net this week and it looks to be fun. But like all comic news, there was a fight to be had. And when I say “fight,” I mean “debate.” Apparently Hank McCoy—the X-Men’s Beast—is going to guest-star in the title. No, that’s not the problem. The problem is, during his tenure on New X-Men in 2001, Grant Morrison introduced the concept of secondary mutation, which led to our beloved “Oh my stars and garters” blue-furry-beast mutating into something that looked like Vincent from Beauty and the Beast. Here’s the question: Which do you prefer? New Beast or Old blue-Beast or even-older Nude-Beast (“nude” only in the sense that he wasn’t hairy).

See ya next time true believers!

————————————-

This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written by WorthPoint comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday, Matt takes a look at the week’s new comics from a collector’s point-of-view and discusses which books may be hard to find in the near future and why. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here. Also, feel free to post your comments in the new “comments” section below, or you can follow him on Twitter, where he is always screaming about something nerd-related. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint for free and post your comics in the “Ask A Worthologist” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price. And finally a word to the Federal Trade Commission; all the comics discussed here are purchased solely by the writer, who receives no gifts or free merchandise from any publishers even though he would graciously accept them.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.

Gotham Gazette

Black Panther

Deadpool

Solomon Grundy

This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written by WorthPoint Comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday, Matt takes a look at the week’s new comics from a collector’s point-of-view and discusses which books may be hard to find in the near future and why. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here. Also, feel free to post your comments in the new “comments” section below.

It’s finally here. “Watchmen” opens in theaters everywhere this weekend. My only worry is that no matter how good the film is, I may be disappointed. Perhaps the hype could be the very thing that brings the Watchmen movie adaptation down. Then again, I remember and even bigger hype behind the second Batman film, “The Dark Knight,” and geeks everywhere are still living happily ever after. Maybe, just maybe, director Zack Snyder will meet or even exceed our expectations and “Watchmen” will join the small, elite fraternity of successful comic book adaptations. We shall see very soon. I’ll post my reaction to “Watchmen” on this blog late Thursday night so check back here Friday.

In other news, the un-restored issue of Action Comics #1 that went up for auction last Friday on comicconnect.com is up to $277,300.00, which buries my bid of $10. Like the guy on eBay that drops a $10 bid on a Porsche, I was thinking, “hey, it’s worth a shot.” For more on the 6.0 CGC graded action #1 click here.

And now onto discussion of the new comics for the week of Wednesday, March 4, 2009. Below you will find my pile of comics that I’ll be adding to my collection. For a complete list of this week’s comics click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Agents of Atlas #2
Black Panther #2
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #23
Cable #12
Daredevil #116
Dark Reign: Fantastic Four #1 of 5
Deadpool #8
Gotham Gazette: Batman Dead?
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #4 of 8
House of Mystery #11
Punisher #3
Secret Six #7
Secret Warriors #2
Solomon Grundy #1 of 7
Superman: World of New Krypton #1 of 12
War of Kings #1 of 6

So let’s discuss this list briefly. As you can see, there’re a couple of new additions to the pile. I’m giving Reginald Hudlin’s Black Panther a chance, for the second time, mainly because I love Ken Lashley’s art, and to be quite honest, the first issue was pretty good. I’m picking up Deadpool #8 because it’s a tie-in with Thunderbolts centering around Deadpool’s plan to assassinate Norman Osborne. It could be fun. In the DCU, I’ll be checking out Gotham Gazette: Batman Dead, which sets up the upcoming “Battle for the Cowl” storyline but probably won’t sort out any of the confusing details of Bruce’s “death.” Also, Solomon Grundy looks to explore the role DC’s second most loved swamp monster, behind the Swamp Thing, of course, will play in the upcoming Green Lantern: Blackest Night event. Also of note this week; I’ll be taking a look at New Avengers: The Reunion, the story of Mockingbird’s return to the Marvel U after being replaced by a Skrull (it was a whole, huge thing too long to go into here), but not buying until I give it a good skimming. This stuff is getting expensive you know.

And now, on to the Speculator Picks of the Week. These are books that, for one reason or another, may sell out quickly and become instant collectibles. If you don’t pay attention and get to your local comic shop in a timely fashion, you could be paying way too much for these comics very soon.

Dark Reign: Fantastic Four #1; Marvel Comics
Solicitation: Dark Reign strikes Marvel’s first family—in an explosive way! Prepared to be blown away as HAMMER agents attack the Baxter Building. Reed changes everything. The Human Torch suffers a horrible loss and Franklin and Val go shopping. There’s time travel, alternate realities, Celestials, Eternals, Deviants and Doombots… and more important than all of that, we find out the answer to the question: What is the Bridge?
• 32 PGS
• $2.99 US
• JAN092472
Written by Jonathan Hickman; Art by Sean Chen; Cover by Simon Bianchi; Variant cover by Marko Djurdjevic

Why it’ll go fast: It’s no secret that I love Jonathan Hickman, and until each-and-every one of you love him as much as I do, I will continue to pick his comics as “must-haves” every week. I’m calling my shot here; This FF limited is the Hickman’s try-out for the regular series, and if it sells well I’m guessing he takes over writing duties on the regular FF monthly after Mark Millar finishes his run. If you’ve read Hickman’s Sci-Fi work then you know he’s perfect to write the FF. If you haven’t, check out Red Mass for Mars and Transhuman from Image comics if you can find them.

Superman: World of New Krypton #1 of 12, DC
Solicitation: Following the events of the “New Krypton” crossover, the Man of Steel has had to embrace his past to ensure humanity’s future. And while a devastating armed conflict with Earth may have been averted, keeping the peace will be Superman’s greatest challenge yet. Hot new writer Andrew Kreisberg (BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL) and fan-favorite artist Pete Woods (ACTION COMICS, SUPERMAN: UP, UP AND AWAY!) lead Superman through a world of interstellar treachery and deadly machinations where the lives of two races hang in the balance!
• $2.99 US
• 32 PGS
• JAN090192
Written by James Robinson and Greg Rucka; Art by Pete Woods; Cover by Gary Frank; Variant cover by Jose Ladron.

Why it’ll go fast: It may not go fast at all. This title seems like a pretty big gamble on the part of DC. Although sales on the title have been good (#25 on the top 300 comic sales for Jan 2009) Robinson’s Superman book has yet to break the top 20 in monthly sales since his run began. To give him and Greg Rucka a title that puts Supes on a different planet for a year raises some questions. Will fans be turned off by the main character leaving earth for a year? Will retailers order more of Supes WOK than of the regular title or vice versa? We’ll see very soon.

War of Kings #1 of 6; Marvel Comics
Solicitation: In the aftermath of the Secret Invasion, Black Bolt has led the Inhumans on a shockingly savage path to restore their strength and security. But that path has brought them into direct confrontation with the Shi’Ar Empire—and their mad ruler, Vulcan! Who will get in the first strike? Who will fall on the bloody battlefield? Who will rule? The Imperial Guard, the Starjammers, the Inhuman Royal Family and more of your favorite sci-fi characters are locked on a collision course… and it all starts here! Join the acclaimed team of Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (NOVA) and Paul Pelletier (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY) for a pivotal turning point in Marvel’s cosmic history! Rated T+
• 32 PGS
• $3.99 US
W: Andy Lanning; W: Dan Abnett; W: N Dan Abnett; P: Paul Pelletier; C: Brandon Peterson

Why it’ll go fast: Even though this book has the same team that brought fans the hugely successful Annihilation series Marvel, in their infinite wisdom, is not calling this comic Annihilation: War of Kings. WHY? Both Annihilation series sold very well, reinvigorated Marvel’s cosmic characters and made me care about the Guardians of the Galaxy yet Marvel is not going with the Annihilation title even though War of Kings has the same writing team, takes place in space and stars many of the same characters. (Was that a run-on sentence or what?) I don’t get it, and I’m guessing not using the Annihilation title will make most retailers scale back their orders slightly. $3.99 for a Marvel cosmic—event that isn’t a proven seller—is a high price tag for retailers who have seen negative or no growth in the comic market for the past two months. With that said, regardless of the title, War of Kings is going to be a great read and will sell out very quickly.

Indy Comic of the Week:

Strongman, Slave Labor Comics

Imagine the Dark Knight if Batman had been a Luchidore. Tigre, a masked Mexican wrestler, was huge in Mexico in the 1970′s, a crime-fighting movie star. These days, he’s 65 and drunk, living in Manhattan. When a beautiful woman begs him to stop an organ trafficking ring, the old warrior decides to take one last, epic shot at redemption.
• $9.95 US
• JAN093940
• 120 pages
Written by Charles Soule; Drawn by Allen Gladfelter

Why you should care: Does it get any better than aging Mexican Wrestlers fighting crime? Strongman looks like and homage to El Santo, a famous Mexican wrestler from the ’50s-’80s who made several movies where he battled supernatural villains such as Dracula, witch covens and zombies. I came to own two Santo films on VHS years ago and fell in love with the campy Mexican horror films and the legend of Santo.

Nerdy Question of the Week???
The last time Superman took the back seat in Action Comics was back in the late ’80s and resulted in Action Comics starring WildDog, Deadman and a host of others. Starting next month Superman is off-planet dealing with problems on New Krypton and Nightwing (not Dick Grayson) and Flamebird, along with Mon El or Valor (I’m not sure what he’s called now), will be protecting Metropolis. Are you in? Do you care about these Superman replacements or are you skipping the whole thing all together?

Thanks again for your continued input and keep the answers to the nerdy questions coming. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

Matt Baum is a Worthologist who specializes in comic books.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Welcome to the Mardi Gras edition of This Week in Geek, where I’ll be sipping Hurricanes and writing this blog shirtless to celebrate. Hope you had a nice, light new comic pile last week because this week, in the spirit of the over-indulgent holiday, we’re getting a truckload of new comics dumped on us. There’s something for everyone coming out this week, so if you’re not at church getting your ash smear, feeling guilty for flashing your chest and praying you don’t end up on the Internet, then get yourself to your local comic shop and spend the rest of that booze money. It’s Lent, after all, and time to give up something, just not comics. That would be ridiculous. Let’s get to it.

Below you’ll find my pile of comics that I’ll be purchasing this Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009.
For a complete list of this week’s comics click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

The Astounding Wolf-Man #13
Avengers: The Initiative #22
Captain America #47
Conan The Cimmerian #8
Fantastic Four #564
Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #4 of 5
Green Lantern #38
Guerillas #4 of 8
Hulk #10
Incredible Hercules #126
Justice Society Of America #24
Mighty Avengers #22
Nova #22
Superman #685
Thunderbolts #129
The Umbrella Academy: Dallas #4 of 6
War Machine #3
Wonder Woman #29
X-Force #12

Truly a pile of comics to be reckoned with! Who needs to read this much stuff, right? I even looked at the list and thought to myself, “what could I cut out of here; what wouldn’t I miss?” The truth was there was nothing. All these comics are some of the highest-quality, best-written and drawn work I’ve seen in years, and I can’t wait to add them to my collection. Having trouble justifying your weekly comic bill? E-mail me at mattbaum [at] worthpoint [dot] com, along with your list, and we’ll discuss. A little validation or scolding from a fellow nerd can go a long way.

And now, on to the Speculator Picks of the Week. These are books that, for one reason or another, may sell out quickly and become instant collectibles. If you don’t pay attention and get to your local comic shop in a timely fashion, you could be paying way too much for these comics very soon.

Green Lantern #38, DC
Solicitation: A “Faces of Evil” issue! The War of Light ignites as the first bizarre battle with the Red Lanterns comes to a blood-fueled conclusion. But what unexpected fate has befallen Atrocitus, the leader of the Red Lanterns, and what new Green Lantern law is unveiled?
Plus, the Guardians of the Orange Light reveal themselves!
32 PGS
$2.99 US
NOV080161
Written by Geoff Johns; Pencils by Ivan Reis; Inks by Oclair Albert; Cover by Shane Davis Variant Cover

Why it’ll go fast: Every GL issue leading up to the “Blackest Night” storyline has gone to a second printing, and for good reason. Geoff Johns is lining fans up for the biggest story in GL history. If you’re not on board already, you’re missing out. If you don’t like Johns’ GL, you’re probably a jerk and no one likes you anyway. DC can’t print these comics fast enough and the closer we get to “Blackest Night,” the faster they’re going to sell-out.

New Avengers #50, Marvel Comics
Solicitation: Celebrate this very special milestone issue as the new roster of New Avengers deal with the shocking news of the existence of the Dark Avengers the only way they can… by taking them head on. But what is waiting for them is the stuff the DARK REIGN is made of.
48 PGS
$4.99 US
DEC082317
Written by Brian Michael Bendis; Pencils by Billy Tan; Inks by Matt Banning; Cover by Billy Tan

Why it’s hot: Anniversary issues sell better than most historically. That is not to say that a title like New Avengers has had trouble selling; there has yet to be an issue that hasn’t sold in the top 10 comics sales each month, and almost every issue has gone to at least a second-printing. So the only thing that could make New Avengers sell any faster than normal would be an anniversary issue. Like say, issue #50. This issue also ships with an amazing variant cover by Andy Kubert. For a long time I harped on and on about how stupid variant covers were and how they were destroying the comic market. Which is still a valid argument, but not one I’ll get into now. My point is this; with New Avengers selling at the level it is, and collectors protecting their comics, there should be no shortage of these issues in the future, rendering them worthless in the long-run, unless interest levels in comics quadruples later on. Now, the Variants on the other hand, may be very hard to come by, especially as the economy continues to decline and readers/collectors are buying less and less each year. So what does it all mean? In the short term, your first printings of high-selling comics like New Avengers may go for more than cover price on eBay, but in the future, when collectors liquidate their comic collections and everyone has high quality condition copies, their value could collapse. The variants however, which presently aren’t selling very well and are printed anywhere from 1 for every 20 to 1 for every 100 copies of the regular cover, will always be harder to find.

The Umbrella Academy; Dallas #4, Dark Horse
Solicitation: Number Five and The Rumor have accepted a terrible mission, and after enduring torture and a brush with nuclear Armageddon, the rest of the surviving Umbrella Academy have to put aside their infighting to try to find their brother and sister, racing through history to do so.
The Eisner and Harvey Award-winning series kicks into high gear as Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba tread into taboo territory in the surreal political thriller Dallas.
2008 Eisner Award winner-Best Limited Series, Best Colorist, and Best Cover Artist!
2008 Harvey Award winner-Best New Series!

“Way, B? Stewart, and Piekos have achieved something rare in comics.”

– IndiePulp.com

“Gerard Way is an innovative, vibrant new writer of comics who has created an exciting, original world. The Umbrella Academy feels like serialized 1930s pulp fiction, even as it reads like sci-fi.”

– PinkRaygun.com

32 PGS
$2.99 US
DEC080046
Written by Gerard Way; Pencils by Gabriel Ba; Cover by Gabriel Ba

Why it’s hot: I’ve been accused of hyperbole before, and it’s true, I tend to get excited about comics that I love. With that said, I’m telling you now with no bias, exaggeration, and under no duress that The Umbrella Academy is one of the best comic series I have ever read. I adore this comic and chances are, if you’re reading it, you do too. There is a reason UA is continually showered with awards and it’s not because it sucks. I understand that Wolverine and Spider Man are not in this title, but you need to give it a chance. Issue three of the latest series, Dallas, checked in at number 83 on the top 300 comic sales for January, which means the vast majority of you nerds are not reading it. PICK UP THIS COMIC! When the movie rights are acquired and everyone goes to the theater and falls in love with The Umbrella Academy, you will wish you had the back issues and they will be VERY EXPENSIVE.

The Indy Comic of the week will return next week!

The Nerdy Question of the Week:

How much is too much? Recently, Marvel and DC raised the price on several of their monthly comics to $3.99, and certain special issues to $4.99. How much are you willing to pay for your comics or is $4 already too much?

Thanks again for your continued input and keep the answers to the nerdy questions coming. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

Matt Baum is a Worthologist who specializes in comic books.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

Speaking of great gifts for nerds-and I hope you’re reading this, mom-Marvel has collected the complete Secret Wars event of the 1980′s in one giant omnibus edition, assembling Secret Wars #1-12 plus Thor #383, She Hulk (2004) #10, and What If? (1989) #4 and #114. The Secret Wars was the first major crossover event that made me branch out from my X-Men comics and set the standard for future crossovers. Nothing better defines Marvel Comics in the 1980s.

Can’t find that perfect gift for the filthy-mouthed, overly-sarcastic, dark-humor-craving-comic- nerd in your life? Search no more; the new Definitive Edition of Garth Ennis’ The Boys collects the meanest, nastiest, most controversial and perversely-funny superhero comics ever written. Ennis is famous for work on DC’s Preacher and Hellblazer and Marvel’s Punisher, but has never been allowed complete free reign with his stories until now. Not for the faint of heart or easily offended, The Boys examines the absurdly dark side of superheroes with deep character flaws. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Here’s my pile if comics for the week of Wednesday, Dec. 17. As always, I welcome your criticism, praise or threats of bodily harm based on what I am or am not reading/collecting. For a complete list of this week’s new comics click here. To find a comic shop near you, click here.

Avengers: The Initiative #19

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #20

Conan The Cimmerian #6

Dark Reign: New Nation

DCU Holiday Special: 2008

Ghost Rider #30

The Invincible Iron Man #8

Madman Atomic Comics! #12

Mighty Avengers #20

Punisher: War Zone #2 of 6

Robin #181

Supergirl #36

Thor: God-Sized

Thunderbolts #127

Uncanny X-Men #505

X-Factor #38

X-Men: Kingbreaker #1 of 4: Kingbreaker

Now let’s talk speculation. As you may or may not know, the purpose of this part of This Week in Geek is to arm the comic nerd with the information he or she needs to make an informed and quality new comic purchase every week. While they might not be worth piles of money, these issues may be pretty hard to find in the near future.

Supergirl #36; DC; Written by Sterling Gates; Art by Jamal Igle; Cover by Josh Middelton, variant by Chris Sprouse; $2.99.

Why it’ll go fast: In October, Supergirl #34 came in at 75 on the top 300 selling comics for that month. November’s Supergirl #35 jumped to number 34. What does this huge spike in sales mean? Fans are sold on the new creative team of Gates and Igle, and tying Supergirl’s story directly into the “New Krypton” storyline running through the Superman books was a great idea. I, myself, have never cared about Supergirl as a character before but now find myself calling issue #36 my pick of the week at my local comic shop. Yeah, I’m pretty important. If you’re thinking of jumping on to the “New Krypton” storyline issues of Supergirl, #34 and #35 are still available but going fast.

Thunderbolts #127; Marvel Comics; Written by Andy Diggle; Art by Roberto De La Torre, Cover by Francisco Mattina; $2.99.

Why it’ll go fast: Another book spiking in sales, moving from 64 in October to 57 in November on the top 300 actual comic sales list, is Andy Diggle’s Thunderbolts. After the events of Secret Invasion #8, Thunderbolts leader, Norman Osborne, is a national hero. For those of you who didn’t know, Norman Osborne is Spider-Man’s nemesis the Green Goblin and a millionaire business owner who’s spun his tech-business, Oscorp, into a full fledged political career. Osborne is now not only running the Thunderbolts, a group of “reformed” super villains working for the US government, but has been offered a promotion after being branded the hero of the failed Skrull Invasion. Tony Stark, Iron Man, is out and Norman Osborne is running things now. Just one problem, he’s still evil and totally insane. The new “Dark Reign” storyline looks like it’s going to be just as much fun as “Secret Invasion” and it starts here in Thunderbolts #127.

X-Men: Kingbreaker #1; Marvel Comics; Written by Christopher Yost; Art by Dustin Weaver; Cover by Brandon Peterson; $3.99.

Why it’ll go fast: Fans of the Marvel “Annihilation” story-lines, which reinvigorated the Marvel space heroes and reinvented Marvel Sci-Fi, are excited for the third installment in the series “War of Kings”. Well, it all begins here in Kingbreaker #1. Scott Summers’ Cyclops, leader of the X-Men, power mad brother, Vulcan has seized power of the alien Shiar Empire and plans to make war on the entire universe. While “Dark Reign” is happening on Earth, the “War of Kings” is beginning in outer space. I’m guessing that retailers will order lighter on this series based on the disappointing sales of the previous X-Men: Emperor Vulcan mini-series that established Vulcan as a universal threat. Kingbreaker looks to tie the story in with the rest of the Marvel Universe, is written by fan-favorite Chris Yost (X-force, New X-Men: Mutant Academy) and leads directly into War of Kings. All of which adds up to a quick sellout of issue #1.

Indy Comic of the Week:

Beanworld Holiday Special; Dark Horse, Written and drawn by Larry Marder; $3.50.

I’ll be honest, I’ve never read Beanworld, but as I’m a sucker for holiday comic specials, and most that I’ve picked up so far this year don’t look too promising, I’ll be picking up the Beanworld Holiday special to see what the buzz is all about. Here’s the solicitation:

“The first new Beanworld story in print in over a decade, the Beanworld Holiday Special is the perfect introduction to Larry Marder’s inimitable creation!

As enjoyable for children as it is enlightening for adults, Beanworld is a grand adventure that explores social dynamics, culture creation, and ecological networks-all in great fun! Take a tour of this magical world, from Proffy’s Fix-It Shop to a Fabulous Look-See Show, in this issue that introduces toys to the baby Cuties and plunges readers into one of the most original and brilliant comic-book universes ever created!

You’ve never seen anything like it–unless you’re a longtime fan of Marder’s, in which case you’ll be thrilled by the return of this wonderful and peculiar comic-book experience!”

“Larry Marder’s Beanworld is a vegetarian update on Krazy Kat with a world and lingo unto itself.”
-Smithsonian Studies of American Art

“One doesn’t read Beanworld at all, one lives it. Beanworld draws you into its world and plays out in your mind. This is a rare feat in any medium, and a treasure in comics.”
-Feature Magazine

That’s all for this week true believers. I truly hope this blog has inspired you to pick up at least one comic book you may have passed on otherwise. If not, email me and tell me what I’m doing wrong. I love criticism, both creative and purely insulting. Also, the end of the year is almost upon us and I want to know your favorite comic of 2008. It can be a single issue, new series, or one-shot. Email me and let me know. Until next week, keep the questions coming. Also, check out my other blog The Comic Speculator, where I discuss classic yet still affordable back-issue comics. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask a Question” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.

This Week in Geek is a weekly blog about new comics written by WorthPoint comic book Worthologist Matt Baum. Every Wednesday, Matt takes a look at the week’s new comics from a collector’s point of view and discusses which books may be hard to find in the near future and why. Make sure to click on the hot links for previews and more information on the comics, characters, story-lines and creators discussed here.

First, a public service announcement: For those of you who, like myself, saw the Punisher: War Zone movie trailer and got excited to see a Punisher movie done right, I say to you, save your eight dollars. Sadly, the latest Punisher film from Lionsgate pictures is utterly terrible. I hated it more than Daredevil, Elektra and both Fantastic Four movies combined. To be quite honest, I felt both the Dolph Lundgren and Thomas Jane Punisher films were far superior to War Zone by far. Do yourself a favor and skip this one. Don’t get me wrong, Ray Stevenson looked great as Frank Castle, and when he was killing criminals the film was at its best. Unfortunately, there was a terrible story and some of the worst acting in recent memory that spelled War Zone’s ultimate demise, and the probable and unfortunate demise of any future Punisher films. All I can say is, why Lionsgate? Why would you hold on to the rights to The Punisher only to put out this steaming pile when Marvel studios probably could have given us the Punisher film that fans have been waiting for? Was it spite? Was it worth the $35 million you spent to make War Zone, which debuted at number 6 this weekend, pulling in an estimated $4 million? Perhaps a better question is, did you learn your lesson? Please leave all further Marvel Comics films in the capable hands of Marvel Studios.

Sincerely;

Comics fans everywhere.

Christmas is a mere two weeks away and I can’t think of a better gift than the Black Canary 13-inch Deluxe Collector Figure. That is, if you are a DC-nerd who has been collecting all the 13-inch DC Deluxe Collector Figures. I’m still kicking myself for not buying the Martian Manhunter figure. All of the figures in this collection have been amazing, and the latest Black Canary figure will make a perfect addition to the previous Green Arrow 13-inch figure. They’re married after all.

Here’s my pile if comics for the week of Wednesday, Dec. 10. As always, I welcome your criticism, praise or threats of bodily harm based on what I am or am not reading/collecting. For a complete list of this week’s new comics click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Action Comics #872
Astonishing X-Men: Ghost Boxes #2 of 2
B.P.R.D.: War On Frogs #2 of 4
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #20
Captain Britain and MI: 13 #8
Detective Comics #851
DMZ #37
Final Crisis #5 of 7
Green Lantern Corps #31
House of Mystery #8
Justice League Of America #27
Nightwing #151
Punisher: War Zone #1 of 6
Secret Invasion: Dark Reign
Secret Six #4
X-Men/Spider-Man #2 of 4

Now let’s talk speculation. As you may or may not know, the purpose of this part of This Week in Geek is to arm the comic nerd with the information he or she needs to make an informed and quality new comic purchase every week. While they might not be worth piles of money, these issues may be pretty hard to find in the near future.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz #1 of 8; Marvel Comics; Written by Eric Shanower; Art and Cover by Skott Young; $3.99.

Why it’s hot: It seems impossible, but somehow until today there has been no complete comic book adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. J.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Stephen King’s The Dark Tower and even Homer’s Odyssey were all adapted to comics, but for some reason the beloved L. Frank Baum story of Dorothy and her little dog Toto’s adventures never made the cut. There was a one-shot from Marvel in 1975 based on the movie, drawn by comic’s legend John Buscema, and even a loosely-based-dark-gritty series, titled Oz from Caliber comics in 1995, but no true adaptation of Baum’s book to date. Until today.

Why it’ll go fast: I’m guessing retailers are going to order this issue the same way they order other family friendly comics, very lightly. Kids don’t read comics anymore. Ask any comic shop owner and they’ll tell you their demographic is 18- to 35-year-old males. So why order heavy on the Wizard of Oz? The story is timeless and every comic reader with kids is going to pick up this first issue hoping their kids will love this story as much as they did when they were young. Hell, I don’t even have kids and I’m going to pick up the first issue. I’ll read it to my pugs after my fiancée has fallen asleep. It’s pathetic, I know, but they’re as close as I want to get to having real children.

Secret Invasion: Dark Reign; Marvel Comics; Written by Brian Michael Bendis; Art and cover by Alex Maleev; $3.99

Why it’s hot: If you’ve just finished reading Secret Invasion #8 then you know exactly why the “Dark Reign” storyline is going to be hot. Click here for the official “Dark Reign” trailer. Marvel is positioning Norman Osborne as their very own Lex Luthor and the fans, me included, love it. Osborne, who had been running the Thunderbolts, a team of villains working for the U.S. govt., is being celebrated as the hero after repelling the Skrull invasion, and Tony Stark (Iron Man) is the fall guy. After all it was his own Stark-Tech that failed and his Avengers that not only killed Captain America, but led to the heroes fighting amongst themselves while the Skrulls silently infiltrated their ranks.

Why it’ll go fast: Secret Invasion was a huge hit with each issue as the number #1 selling title for the month it was released. The exact sales numbers for #8 aren’t available yet, but I think it’s safe to say it will outsell Final Crisis #5, due out this Wednesday. The end of Secret Invasion #8 leads directly into the “Dark Reign” storyline and the solicits for the new Marvel Avengers comics look so good that I’m guessing no self respecting Marvel comics fan will pass on this one-shot. Retailers, who may have not known how Secret Invasion would end and whether or not fans would be exhausted by the storyline at this point, may have ordered lower numbers on the Dark Reign one-shot. As a Marvel fan I couldn’t be more excited for the “Dark Reign” storyline and can’t wait to read what Bendis has in store for us.

Detective Comics #851; DC; Written by Dennis O’Neil; Art by Guillem March; Covers by Guillem March, Tony Daniel and Ian Hannin; $2.99.

Why it’s hot: “Batman RIP” was a wild ride that arguably didn’t have a very satisfying ending. Fans are still arguing as to whether or not the main villain, Doctor Hurt, was the devil or not. Regardless of whether you think Batman was tormented by the devil or hooked up to a machine and imagining the RIP storyline it’s safe to say we all want to know what happens to Gotham City in the absence of its Dark Knight.

Why it’ll go fast: Legendary Bat-writer Dennis O’Neil returns to Detective Comics after a 28-years. He’s written some other Bat titles during that time, but not Detective. Regardless of fan backlash over what exactly was happening in the Bat-books, sales remained very strong on both Batman and Detective Comics. Now that Batman appears to be dead, fans are frothing at the mouth as to what happens next. Especially fans of the first Robin-turned-Nightwing, Dick Grayson who looks to play a large part in O’Neil’s two-part story.

It has been brought to my attention that for the life of this blog I have tended to only espouse the value, both collectible and entertainment-based, of comics produced by the largest comic companies. Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse; Corporate Comics. While sadly, the fact is that the most purchased and talked about titles will inevitably be those that have the most collectible value in the future, that does not mean that their shouldn’t be room in your collection for smaller press independent comics. In response to an email I received from an angry-indy-comic-nerd (not an insult) I am adding a new section to this blog called “The Indy Comic of the Week.” This section will be a quick look at a great independent or underground comic hitting the stands each week that you, they loyal and curious reader, might otherwise overlook.

Indy Comic of the Week

Time Management for Anarchists; IDW; Written by Jim Munroe; Art and cover by Marc Ngui; $3.99

When you hate being a boss and you hate being an employee, you have to quit your job before it kills you. The modern reincarnations of Emma Goldman and Mikhail Bakunin begin their journey of self-motivation in a steampunk-tinted world, uncovering productivity tips for creative malcontents. Written by ‘pop culture provocateur’ (Austin Chronicle) and ‘independent press icon’ (Time Out Chicago) Jim Munroe (Therefore Repent!) and drawn by underground comix talent Marc Ngui (Enter Avariz). From the Diamond solicitation.

Sound’s great right? The idea for the comic was borne from a presentation Munroe has been giving on how to be a productive anarchist. You can check out a short flash presentation here.

Well that’s all for this week true believers. I truly hope this blog has inspired you to pick up at least one comic book you may have passed on otherwise. If not, email me and tell me what I’m doing wrong. I love criticism, both creative and purely insulting. Also, the end of the year is almost upon us and I want to know your favorite comic of 2008. It can be a single issue, new series, or one shot. Email me and let me know. Until next week, keep the questions coming. Also, check out my other blog The Comic Speculator, where I discuss classic yet still affordable back-issue comics. If you have any questions about these books or anything else in the comic book world feel free to contact me or post your question in the Comic Book community forum. Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint for free and post your titles in the “Ask A Question” section. Remember to post the title, issue number and cover price.