Speculator Picks of the Week: Batman #686

Spring is almost upon us and with it comes convention season. Last weekend was the New York Comic-con, and already convention exclusive variant figures and covers, along with sketches and signed comics from guest artists, are selling on eBay. Personally, I’d love to grab one of the Dark Avengers NYCC exclusives. I love convention season, and if all goes as planned, I’ll be attending Chicago-con this year. If not, then I’ll play along at home watching the comic news-sites as they update with news from each discussion panel and scoop up the exclusives I want on-line. For a complete list of the upcoming comic conventions, click here and start planning your nerdy weekend getaway now.

All convention news aside; let’s not forget that it’s Wednesday and time to take a look at this week’s new comics. Below is my list of comics I’ll be purchasing this Wednesday, Feb. 11. As always, I’d love to hear your feedback on what am or should be collecting. For a complete list of this week’s comics click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Action Comics #874
Batman #686
Batman and The Outsiders: Special
B.P.R.D.: The Black Goddess #2 of 5
Captain Britain and MI:13 #10
DMZ #39
Green Lantern Corps #33
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #3 of 8
Incognito #2
Nightwing #153
Thor #600
X-Infernus #3 of 4

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.

Batman #686; DC; Written by Neil Gaiman; Art by Andy Kubert; Covers by Andy Kubert (1:50 sketch Variant) and Alex Ross (50/50 variant); 48 pages; $3.99.

“Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?” part 1 of 2!

Solicitation: Best-selling author Neil Gaiman (THE SANDMAN) and superstar artist Andy Kubert (BATMAN, Marvel 1602) join forces for a special 2-part BATMAN event! “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader” is a captivating and mysterious tale the likes of which Batman and friends have never experienced before. Delving into the realms of life, death and the afterlife, Gaiman leaves no stone unturned as he explores every facet and era of Bruce Wayne’s life.

Why it’ll go fast: Put Neil Gaiman’s name on any comic and it’s an instant sell out. Put Neil Gaiman’s name on a Batman comic that will redefine the Bat-titles in the wake of Bruce Wayne’s death and I’m not sure what will happen. I would guess that this will be one of the highest selling comics of the year. Whether your a fan of Gaiman, Batman, Andy Kubert or all of the above, this will be must read comic-material. By the way, I saw Gaiman’s “Coraline” this weekend and loved it. You will too.

Batman and The Outsiders: Special; DC; Written by Peter J. Tomasi; Art and cover by Adam Kubert; 40 pages; $3.99

Solicitation: Spinning out of “Batman R.I.P.” and DC UNIVERSE: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, this special features the birth of a new era for the Outsiders and is a perfect entry point for past and present readers alike. FINAL CRISIS has changed the universe forever, and though Batman may be gone, his legacy must endure. Forces are set in motion that give rise to a new team ready to combat the secret evil that the Outsiders were truly formed for all those years ago. Is Geo-Force the best leader? Or will Black Lightning prove to be a challenger? Plus, the introduction of a never-before-seen character important to the Batman mythos!

Writer Peter J. Tomasi (GREEN LANTERN CORPS, NIGHTWING) is joined by Adam Kubert (DCU: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT) for this extra-length one-shot spectacular, which is the opening chapter of an epic storyline that will continue within the pages of February’s THE OUTSIDERS #15!

Why it’ll go fast: No one has been reading Batman and the Outsiders since the soap-opera-esque exit of writer Chuck Dixon with issue 10. The title fell from the 41st spot in November to 80th in December on the top 300 selling comics list. Fans are bailing out on this book and for good reason; it’s been fill-in story after directionless fill-in story written by “Mr. Fill-In” himself, Frank Tieri. Until now. Peter Tomasi, one of my favorite new DC writers, reinvigorates the Outsiders with a new direction in the wake of Batman’s death. Don’t expect to see piles of this issue as most store owners aren’t sold on Tomasi’s name to cause a sell-out yet. However, Adam Kubert’s art might just do the trick.

Thor #600; Marvel Comics; Written by Chris Giarrusso, J. Michael Straczynski and Stan Lee; Art by Chris Giarrusso and Olivier Coipel; Covers By Olivier Coipel, Marko Djurdjevic (50/50 wraparound variant) and Gabriele Dell’Otto (1:20 variant); 104 pages; $4.99

Solicitation: The mighty God of Thunder hits a major milestone! THOR goes back to its classic numbering for this issue 600 mega-event, and even Stan “The Man” Lee joins the party with an all-new story! J. Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel bring their widely acclaimed run to a major culmination! And Chris Giarrusso lays down an epic Mini Marvels Thor adventure!

PLUS jaw- dropping wraparound covers by Olivier Coipel and Marko Djurdjevic! Miss this issue?! We say thee NAY!

Why it’ll go fast: Every issue of J.M.S’s Thor has sold out at the printers and fans of the Thunder god agree that these are some of the best Thor stories ever printed. Thor #600 is a big anniversary issue that will bring fans, both old and new, out to the shops. The $4.99 cover price may scare some retailers from ordering big on this issue so get it while you can. Also, the Dell Otto variant looks amazing but could be pretty pricey.

The Indy Book of the Week will return next week.

Nerdy Question of the week:

As a comic collector, have you begun to feel the burn of $3.99 comics, or do you feel the quality and increased page count has made up for the increase in price?

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

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.

With the weekly shipping schedule of comics, it’s easy for nerds like me, who live and die with Diamond’s shipping schedule, to forget that there are people out there that would like to start reading comics but have no idea where to begin. Where does one start? With a new storyline? Perhaps a first issue? Truth be told, yes it is difficult for an outsider to join, or re-join, the ranks of comic nerd-dom due to the heavy continuity that pervades most stories. The same continuity that nerds love can be just as effective at holding new readers at bay. This week Marvel comics is trying to alleviate the stress of diving back into the seemingly impenetrable world of comics with their new book, Marvel: Your Universe #1. The comic will give readers a chance to look at five different stories from the Marvel U. This issue includes Ghost Rider, Nova, the X-men, Iron Fist and Ms. Marvel. Think of it as a tasting platter for the nerd with refined tastes. If you’ve been thinking about checking out or returning to the Marvel Universe this is the perfect chance to do so.

Below you’ll find my pile of comics I’ll be purchasing this Wednesday, Feb. 4. As always, I’d love to hear your input on what I am or should be reading. For a complete list of this week’s comics click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Agents of Atlas #1
Astonishing Tales #1
Black Panther #1
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #22
Cable #11
Dead Irons #1
Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #3 of 5
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #3 of 8
House of Mystery #10
Immortal Iron Fist #22
The Invincible Iron Man #10
Nightwing #153
Punisher #2
Saga of The Swamp Thing: Book 1
Secret Six #6
Secret Warriors #1

So that’s my pile of comic distractions for this week. Now let’s talk speculation. As you may or may not know, the purpose of this blog 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.

Agent’s of Atlas #1; Marvel Comics; Written by Jeff Parker; Art by Carlo Pagulayan; Covers by Arthur Adams and Ed Mcguinnes (1:20 variant); 48 pages; $3.99.

Solicitation: The heroes of the 1950s are back with big plans for the 21st Century! When Federal enforcers under the hand of NORMAN OSBORN burst into an armory under control of the Atlas Foundation, Jimmy Woo’s Agents go head-to-head with the new powers that be. How it all goes down will make the playing field of the modern Marvel Universe more volatile than ever! PLUS: A 12-page 1950s flashback to the Agents of Atlas’ first savage encounter with the man known as Wolverine!

Why it’ll go fast: Not many people read the first Agents of Atlas miniseries back in October of 2006; it debuted at #133 on the top 300 ordered comics that month. Even though the back issues don’t guide much higher than cover price, because of light initial ordering, they are hard to find. I only found three complete runs on eBay. If you can find them, I recommend picking up the 2006-07 Agents series as it was a great read and, if the latest series is a hit, they could be seeing premium prices soon. Based on the low sales of the first series I would expect to see piles of the latest Agents #1 on the stands this week.

Dead Irons #1, Dynamite Ent; Written by James Kuhoric; Art by Jason Shawn Alexander; Covers by Jae Lee and Jason Shawn Alexander (1:8 variant); 32 pages; $3.99.

Solicitation: Three bounty hunter siblings blaze a path of death and destruction across the old west. Traveling by moonlight they rip criminals, screaming for mercy, from their hiding places, but none is ever given. Each bounty is torn, broken and bled dry before they are delivered dead and payment collected in gold—no silver. The Irons are the most feared bounty-hunting killers in the west, but that fear isn’t based on them being the fastest with a pistol or rifle. It’s because they’re the walking dead.

Why it’ll go fast: I was just having a discussion with a friend about zombies in the old west, because I’m a nerd… yes, wherein he asked if such a theme existed. I was pleased to tell him about Dead Irons and how great the series looks. Before I get flooded with e-mails, no Dead Irons is not breaking new ground here, Image/IDW’s “Desperadoes” is one zombie-western that comes to mind; but this is the first time in any zombie title I can recall where the zombies are the good guys. I can’t wait! (Yes, I’m aware of Marvel’s living Zombie character, but would call him both a “hero” and a “zombie” in only the loosest sense of the words.)

Secret Warriors #1; Marvel Comics; Written by Brian Michael Bendis and Jonathan Hickman; Art by Stefano Casselli; Covers by Jim Cheung and Carlos Pacheco (1:15 variant); $3.99.

Solicitation: Exploding out of the pages of Secret Invasion and Mighty Avengers! Nick Fury and his new band of young heroes uncover the darkest secret in the history of the Marvel Universe! A secret that will crack the Internet into tiny little pieces! A secret that sends the Secret Warriors tumbling into an underworld of rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, super-powered spies and global criminal organizations. This is the Nick Fury book you’ve been waiting for! Be there for the Marvel debut of award-winning Nightly News creator Jonathan Hickman as he teams up with Secret Warriors co-creator Brian Bendis to unveil a new era in Marvel mania!

Why it’ll go fast: Bendis’ new team of Secret Warriors look to be leading the fight against Norman Osborne’s Dark Reign, they all have great origins and are related to some cult favorite B-list heroes and they are led by my favorite Marvel character, Nick Fury. If that’s not enough, up and coming writer Jonathan Hickman (Red Mass for Mars, Pax Romana) co-writes with super-star Bendis along with the fantastic artwork of Stefano Caselli. Secret Warriors has been eagerly awaited since it’s announcement last summer at Wizard World Chicago. Initial orders on SW may be low due to the lack of A-list heroes which could result in an instant sell-out. Add this comic to your pull-list now!

Indy book of the Week:

The Big Skinny: How I Changed My Fattitude; Villard Books; Written and Drawn by Carol Lay; 208 pages; $18.

Solicitation: Here’s the skinny: After a lifetime of yo-yo dieting with pills, hypnosis and ill-informed half-measures, Carol Lay finally shed her excess pounds and kept them off. Now this California cartoonist shares her experiences in a funny, genuine and eye-popping graphic memoir that tells Carol’s story and shows you how you can do it, too.

Why you should care: Well for starters, studies show that one in four Americans are overweight, but I’m not here to preach. I love that Indy comics can do anything, including help readers lose weight. They don’t always have to be about self-introspection, alcoholism and murder. Indy comics can be funny and helpful too.

Nerdy question of the week:

Now that DC’s Final Crisis has ended and the dust is beginning to settle collector’s have an important question. Not “did I enjoy this,” because I would argue the book itself was hard to follow at best, but perhaps, “are these going to be worth anything?” It’s a good question and one I’ll be examining in my other blog The Comic Speculator. Collectability aside, what did you think of DC’s latest event? Did Final Crisis hit you in the heart or in the pants? And was it worth the $28 price of admission?

That’s all for this week folks. I’m going to try to figure out what happened to last week’s blog and promise to try to keep things weekly. Thanks to those that e-mailed concerns. 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 WorthPoint’s comic book Worthologist

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

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.

Welcome back nerds! It’s Wednesday and time for another edition of This Week in Geek. I’ve been receiving a lot of great feed-back and wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who wrote in over the past few months. The changes you see here, both editorial and formative, are because your suggestions. Keep them coming and again, thanks. I wouldn’t be the self-made-millionaire-comic-blogger I am today with out you guys. Now enough of the thank you’s and self misrepresentation, lets rap about comics.

Below you’ll find my pile of comics I’ll be purchasing this Wednesday, Jan. 28. As always, I’d love to hear your input on what I am or should be reading. For a complete list of this week’s comics click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Avengers: The Initiative #21
Batman #685
Captain America #46
Daredevil #115
Faces of Evil: Kobra
Fantastic Four #563
Final Crisis #7 of 7
Incredible Hercules #125
Justice Society Of America #23
New Avengers #49
Nova #21
Punisher: War Zone #6 of 6
Superman #684
The Umbrella Academy: Dallas #3 of 6
Wonder Woman #28
X-Force #11

Now let’s talk speculation. As you may or may not know, the purpose of this blog 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.

Umbrella Academy: Dallas #3 of 6; Dark Horse; Written by Gerard Way; Art and cover by Gabriel Ba; 32 pages $2.99

Solicitation: As Clare Boothe Luce once said, “No good deed goes unpunished.” The Seance, ego bloated from having saved the world a few months ago, finds himself strapped in for a most unpleasant ride while the team runs in four different directions—because only four of the seven Umbrella Brats are currently mobile.

Why it’ll go fast: Last week I declared Supergirl to be the best comic you weren’t reading and this week I’m here to say I was wrong. Checking in at the 102nd spot on the top 300 comics sold in December 2008 is the Umbrella Academy: Dallas #2, making the Umbrella Academy the best comic you are not reading. It is not an exaggeration to say that there is not a more unique and well-written superhero comic on the market than Way’s Umbrella Academy. If you’ve always wondered what the Incredibles would have been like had it been written and directed by Wes Anderson, then this comic is for you. Good luck finding issues #1 and #2, both of which are starting to see higher prices online as they sell out.

Watchmen Figure Assortment 1; DC Direct; $14.95-$19.95 ea

Solicitation: Based on the upcoming March 6, 2009, Warner Bros. movie WATCHMEN, DC DIRECT brings both long-time and new fans of WATCHMEN what they crave: collectible action figures, intricately clothed 1:6 scale deluxe collector figures, exquisitely sculpted busts, and straight-from-the-set prop replicas! All products feature movie accurate likenesses and costume detailing!

Why it’ll go fast: I know what you’re thinking. “Isn’t this supposed to be a new comic blog?” Yes it is. However, I have waited longer than I care to remember for Watchmen figures and they are finally here. Yes, they are based on the movie and not the comic but that is only due to image rights and intellectual property law. For a great article on the legal wranglings that deprived fans of Watchmen figures for years, click here. A lot of comic shops have scaled back on their toy orders, so don’t be surprised, and god help you, if you have to go eBay looking for individual figures. I’m terrified what will happen when the clear Dr. Manhattan variants start shipping. My name is Matt Baum and I am nerd.

Nova #21; Marvel Comics; Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning; Art by Wellinton Alves; Cover by Guru-efx; 32 pages; $2.99

Solicitation: Richard Rider: Nova no more? With the new Nova Corps on Earth laying down the law, is there no longer a need for the Human Rocket? Plus: guest-stars Darkhawk and the original Quasar! Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Wellinton Alves hit you with the biggest twists yet in the latest jaw-dropping installment of what Wizard calls “the best outer space soap opera since “Star Wars!”

Why it’ll go fast: There seems to have been a steady decline in Nova orders in the past two months (from the 66th position in November to the 87th in December of 2008 on the top 300 ordered comics). This is a disturbing trend for Nova fans, myself included, and I’m telling you all right now, if the decline continues and Nova gets canceled all you nerds are in trouble. My momma never bragged about how good lookin’ I was, but she always told me I was one mean little cuss when it came to hurtin’ folks. Seriously though, Nova is the best Sci-Fi comic Marvel has published in years and everyone needs to be reading it. If it’s not on your pull-file/pre-order list, I’d add it right away as the lower the initial orders get on Nova the harder it’s going to be to find.

Indy Comic of the Week:

Capacity; Secret Acres; Theo Ellsworth; 336 pages; $15.00

Upon being inserted (gently) into Ellsworth’s intricately rendered imaginary world, a place in which Maurice Sendak or Dr. Seuss would feel right at home, the reader is gradually initiated into the artist’s hermetic headspace. We learn about his creative process (long walks spark countless interior “skits” he subsequently draws into existence) and about his personal life (living in his car and house sitting gradually gave way to his current domestic tranquility). After initially fearing that his demons would catch him, Ellsworth now relies on his own, self-created monsters to catch him when he falls.

—From a review at Villagevoice.com written by Richard Gehr

Ellsworth’s art is the kind of work that makes me wish I didn’t have tattoos. Not that I regret mine; I just wish I had room for some of his work. The cover of this book alone would be an awesome shoulder piece.

Nerdy Question of the Week???

What comic company do you feel packs the most quality (i.e., story-telling, art, paper stock, page-count, etc) into their comics? Yet another week of great responses to the Question of the Week! Keep them coming and thanks again, nerds! Until next week, keep the questions coming and, check out my other blog The Comic Speculator, where I discuss new and 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.

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth