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This Week in Geek 11/18/09

Matt Baum — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:08:28 +0000

Alien Legion

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.

Years ago, while scanning the quarter bin at a now-defunct comic shop, I found a cover that caught my eye and for once, at the tender age of 15 or 16, I left the comic shop with a book that didn’t star Batman, Captain America, Spidey or Wolverine. That comic was “Alien Legion” volume 2, #2. Upon reading it, I instantly fell in love. Written by Chuck Dixon, who has also written some of my favorite Batman comics, and drawn by the incomparable Larry Stroman, Alien Legion followed a motley-alien-army-force into battle on even more alien worlds. I spent the next few years completing my Alien Legion run and will never part it, ever. I love Alien Legion and was overjoyed to hear about the Dark Horse “Alien Legion Omnibus” #1, which collects 300 pages of the original Carl Potts and the Chuck Dixon series. But lost my mind when I heard that Dixon and Stroman were reuniting for a new Alien Legion mini-series. I can’t tell you how geeked I am for this. I even told my fiancée. Who stared at me blankly and said, “That’s great, sweetie.”

The Stack:

Below you’ll find my stack of comics for the week of Wednesday, Nov. 18. 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.

Adventure Comics #4
Alien Legion Omnibus Volume 1
Amazing Spider-Man #612
Cowboy Ninja Viking #2 of 4
Dark Avengers #11
Dark Reign: The List: Amazing Spider-Man
The Flash: Rebirth #5 of 6
Incredible Hulk #604
Mighty Avengers #31
Punisher #11
Realm of Kings: Inhumans #1 of 5
Realm of Kings
Spider-Woman #3
Supergirl #47
Thunderbolts #138
Wolverine: Weapon X #7

Thoughts on the stack:

Adventure Comics

Cowboy Ninja Viking

Dark Avengers

“Adventure Comics” by Geoff Johns is one of the best monthly comics I’ve read in quite a while. Johns has succeeded, yet again, in making me care about Conner Kent, Superboy. Unfortunately, Johns is only on the title for two more issues before Paul Levitz takes over. Yes, I’m being pessimistic here, but honestly, the guy hasn’t written comics since 1989. Which isn’t completely true. He wrote some fill-in issues of JSA that were . . . meh . . . at best.

“Cowboy Ninja Viking” is fun in the vein of Matt Fraction’s “Cassanova.” Issue one was violent, spastic, sexy, well-drawn, well-written and all-around-awesome. This is the kind of story you will only see in comic format. Don’t expect to see an AMC original series about a killer with a multiple personality disorder each of which are trained to kill as different historical warriors anytime soon. I highly recommend checking this one out.

“Dark Avengers” #11 wins the best-cover-of-the-week award with a homage to Todd McFarlane’s Spiderman #1. The closer we get to January’s “Siege” event, which looks to be the end of the “Dark Reign” crossover, the more nervous I get about this title ending. “Dark Avengers” is high-quality super-hero, or I guess in this case super-villain, storytelling and I love it. Every month.

Dark Reign: The List: Spiderman

Mighty Avengers

“Dark Reign: The List: Spiderman” is the only title with two—count ’em, two—semicolons, so it has to be good. That, and the fact that we finally get to see Norman Osborne go after Spiderman. Oh, and Dann Slott is writing with Adam Kubert on pencils. So I guess if you’re an uninformed jerk that hates Spiderman and America and your Grandparents and Thanksgiving, you’ll be skipping this one.

“Mighty Avengers” #31. Just when I thought I was done with this title writer Dan Slott pulls me back in by having Eternity name Hank Pym as Earth’s Scientist Supreme. It’s the little things that get me. I’m in Slott and cowriter Christos Gage have got me for at least six more issues. Although it would be nice if the art team could remain static for at least one story-arc.

Realm of Kings

Thunderbolts

“Realm of Kings” and “Realm of Kings: Inhumans” are must-buys. The writing team of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning have transformed Marvel’s confusing and often boring cosmic cast into a cohesive, compelling and very well-written group of characters. Marvel Sci-Fi has never been this good. The fact that I even care about a Green Lantern knock-off character like Quasar blows my mind.

“Thunderbolts” is on its last chance with me. In fact, the only reason I’m picking this issue up is because of writer, Jeff Parker (“Agents of Atlas”). But honestly, this is Thunderbolts last chance. I don’t hate the book I’m just reading enough titles starring Marvel villains. If I’m going to read one starring Paladin, Nuke and the Headsman (whose real name is Cleavon Twain; terrible right?) it’s going to have to be pretty damn well written.

And now it’s time to mash all these comics together, mix with water, place on a giant spoon and cook them down to see which is the one comic I can’t live without this week in a little section I’m calling:

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

Punisher #11; Marvel Comics

Punisher #11

Solicitation: “Franken-Castle” Part 1. In the belly of New York, skulking and forgotten creatures of the night uncover the remains of a man in a familiar outfit. Frank Castle is dead. What exactly is Frankencastle? Long time collaborators Rick Remender and Tony Moore (Ghost Rider, Fear Agent, The Walking Dead) are reunited for what will be the greatest struggle in the afterlife of the Punisher. Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster . . .

32 PGS
$2.99 US
SEP090449
Written by Rick Remender; Pencils and inks by Tony Moore; Cover by Dave Wilkins.

Why this one? Rick Remender’s Punisher has been fantastic so far but is running the risk of wandering into the doldrums of the typical Punisher story where in Frank goes after bad guys, has a little trouble with them and then kills the hell out of ’em. It’s a formula that’s worked for 35 years now, sure. Rick Remender is not your average writer and proved it when he chopped the hero of his story into pieces in the pages of “Dark Reign: The List: Punisher.” That’s right, Frank Castle is dead. Way dead. Pile-of-dismembered-body-parts dead. But now he’s back in a story aptly titled “Frankencastle.” This one’s got everything, Mole Men, the Man Thing and an undead Punisher. If you’re not excited about this one you could be a jerk. And you hate comics.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

Earlier in this blog I was gushing about “Alien Legion.” Everyone has a title like this that almost no body else cared about. What’s yours?

See ya next time, true believers.

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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.

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This Week in Geek 11/11/09

Matt Baum — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:41:35 +0000

"Celebrating Peanuts: 60 Years"

While standing in my comic shop earlier today I had what could only be described as a moment of clarity while I hefted the “Celebrating Peanuts: 60 Years” hardcover in my arms. And I do mean hefted. The collection is 13-by-10 inches and weighs over five pounds. I love Charles Schultz and wish I could quit one of my jobs to study and write about his work. Ok, full disclosure here; I haven’t read all of his work and don’t even own one of the amazing Complete Peanuts collections printed by Fantagraphics, but I have read enough of his work to understand how important Schultz was to the comics industry. Maybe it’s just my connection to the animated Charlie Brown Christmas special that made my eyes well up while holding this latest Peanuts collection, but I know I need this. And now I’m gazing at my giant book shelf full of other hardcover collections I “needed” in the past and haven’t yet read. It is an addiction and I am an addict.

Below you’ll find my stack of comics for the week of Wednesday Nov. 11. 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.

Action Comics #883
The Anchor #2
Amazing Spider-Man #611
Batman #693
Batman and Robin #6
Batman/Doc Savage Special: 1
B.P.R.D.: 1947 #5 of 5
Cable #20
Daredevil #502
Dark X-Men #1 of 5
DMZ #47
The Flash: Rebirth #5 of 6
Green Lantern Corps #42
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #8 of 8
Realm of Kings: Imperial Guard #1 of 5
Red Robin #6
Strange #1 of 4
Supergod #1 of 5
S.W.O.R.D. #1
X-Force #21

Thoughts on the pile:

"The Anchor" #1

“The Amazing Spiderman” #611

"Batman and Doc Savage"

“The Anchor” #1 was a good read and I like supporting a writer like Phil Hester. Not just because he’s a Midwesterner and I’ve met him a few times and I want him to like me. The guy writes good comics and is a heck of an artist to boot.

“The Amazing Spiderman” #611 sees Joe Kelly returning to write Deadpool, who is starring in almost every Marvel title on the rack these days. Kelly’s run on the 90s “Deadpool” series was some of his finest work and a run of comics that I will never part with. Not only am I excited to see him write Deadpool again, but I dig the way he writes Spidey as well, and really enjoyed his four-part “American Son” story line that ran through Amazing Spidey #595-#598.

“Dark X-Men” #1

I was dismayed to find the “Batman and Doc Savage” one-shot gone by the time I got to my comic shop, but am really only morbidly interested in this title. I love Brian Azzarello when he’s writing closer to his crime-noir-Vertigo-roots, but did not enjoy his previous forays into superhero comics. I’ll pick up anything with artwork by Phil Noto, however.

“Strange” #1

Since the cancellation of “Captain Britian and MI 13,” writer Paul Cornell seems to be everywhere, and this week is writing “Dark X-Men” #1. He lost me with his latest “Young Avengers” miniseries, but I still really like the way Cornell writes comics. That, and the nerd-stuck-in-the-90s in me has a soft spot for Dark Beast.

“Strange” #1 is probably my most eagerly awaited title this week. I’m a huge Mark Waid fan and can’t get enough Doctor Strange. It’s about time Marvel spills the beans on what happened to Stephen Strange; specifically, why he’s not the Sorcerer Supreme.

A good week for new comics, all-in-all, but another wallet-smasher, as well. Now I’m introducing a new section I’ll be calling “There Can Be Only One!” wherein I’ll pretend I’m only buying one comic this week. Of course that’s ridiculous, only buying one comic a week. What kind of nerd would I be?

So if I could only choose one title this week, it would be . . .

. . . Supergod. Praying to be saved by a man who can fly will get you killed. From the creator of The Authority and Planetary comes the craziest and most horrifying superhero comic you’ve ever read!

Supergod #1 of 5, Avatar

"Supergod" #1 of 5

Solicitation: In the world of Supergod, superhumans are the ultimate expression of the Messiah complex, and scientists can build Messiahs who will fly down from the skies to save the world. No-one thought about how they’d do it—or even if they’d want to.

So begins the apocalyptic tomorrow of Supergod—the story of how supermen killed us all and ended the world just because we wanted to be rescued by human-shaped things from beyond science itself! Take every superhero comic ever published, shove them into a nuclear-powered blender, soak it in bad vodka and set the whole thing alight—and Supergod will crawl out and eat your brain! By Warren Ellis, Garrie Gastony, Felipe Massafera.

$3.99 US
SEP090628
Written by Warren Ellis; Art by Garrie Gastony.

Why this one? “Supergod” is my first foray into Warren Ellis’ Avatar work and I am very much looking forward to it. It’s a story of Man using technology to create a god to save the world. Anyone who’s ever read Ellis’ work knows how well this situation will turn out for humanity. If you haven’t read his work, you should, and humanity is in real trouble. Creepy sci-fi is my favorite kind, and no one does it better than Ellis. If you haven’t already, I would highly recommend reading his “Ministry of Space” and “Ocean,” both published by Wildstorm and are available in trade-paper-back at comic shops everywhere.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

I’m always trying to figure out why I crave some hardcover collections and not others. It’s not just the source material either. I really don’t know why I want the Criminal hardcover so badly, but really don’t need say, the Hellboy Omnibuses? I have Hellboy tattooed on my body, for crying out loud. So what do you look for in a hardcover? What does it take for you to drop $30-$100 on a collected edition? Help me figure this out. Please!

See ya next time true believers.

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This Week in Geek 11/04/09

Matt Baum — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:00:29 +0000

New Mutants

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!

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The Comic Speculator 11/04/2009

Matt Baum — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:02:38 +0000

Deadpool

The Comic Speculator is a blog written by WorthPoint Comic Book “Worthologist” Matt Baum that takes a look at each week’s hot new comics and back issues and the comic market place in general. Prices discussed here are taken from the Overstreet Guide to Comics (OVST), Comicspriceguide.com (CPG) and current online auction sales. Make sure and click on the active links to learn more about the titles and creators discussed here.

Welcome to the new, improved and now weekly The Comic Speculator blog! I’ve decided that This Week in Geek , my other blog, was too darn long. From here on out I’ve karate chopped TWIG into two blogs. TWIG will also still be a weekly blog, but will be more about my own collecting habits and reviews of comics. TCS is going to be more about the dirty business of comic collecting. This blog is going to focus on printing numbers, sell-outs, internet auctions, variant covers, shipping allocations and just plain old speculation. I’ll leave all my squishy collector feelings for TWIG, while here we’ll be discussing the raw-red-meat of comic collecting.

On top of the all the great new comics hitting the stands this week, make sure and check out The Deluxe Hardcover edition of Ed Brubaker’s “Criminal,” a series of crime-noir stories inspired by the pulp detective and crime novels of the 1960s and 70s. Any fan of Brubaker’s Captain America or Daredevil work would be well-served giving this collection a try. On the collector’s front, these hardcovers are expensive to keep in print and can sell for two to three times cover price in the not to far future.

Click here to see a complete list of new comics shipping this Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009.

Speculator Picks of the Week:

This is the part where I use my comic swami powers to peer into the future and pick out three titles that could sell out very quickly. Buy them now at cover price or pay twice as much later.

Deadpool Team-Up #899: Marvel Comics

Deadpool Team-Up #899

Solicitation: Merc with a Myth! Stop rubbing your eyes, fanboy, they don’t deceive you! Everyone’s favorite Merc with a Mouth stars in a third on-going series, hacking and wisecracking his way across the Marvel Universe with a new guest-star every month! First up: when master assassin Arcade and Nightmare, Lord of the Dream Dimension, join forces to destroy Wade Wilson and The Incredible Hercules, they get more than they bargain for, taking on two of the MU’s most irresponsible heroes! Drunken mayhem, bad jokes and billions of dollars of property damage ensue!

32 PGS
$2.99 US
SEP090468
Written by Fred Van Lente; Pencils by Dalibor Talajic; Cover by Humberto Ramos.

Why it’ll go fast: Blah blah Deadpool. Blah blah selling like hotcakes. How many ways do I have to repeat myself? Deadpool is routinely selling out and this is now the third monthly series starring the Merc with a Mouth. Real soon here fans are going to experience serious Deadpool overload, but not yet. “Deadpool” shipped 50,479 copies in September checking in at #34 in the top 300 most ordered comics. Merc with a mouth #3 wasn’t far behind at #49 shipping 43,855 copies. What do the numbers mean? Retailers are skittish when ordering a second monthly Deadpool series, even though it’s selling out every month. Expect them order even lighter on a third monthly series.

Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #2: Marvel Comics

Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #2

Solicitation: Lost, gravely injured and stranded in the low pits of the Everdimensions, Doctor Voodoo is hunted by a brutal living nightmare that holds a festering and contagious self-doubt. Was Jericho given the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme in order to leave our dimension vulnerable to the great evil Agamotto foresees? Or is he the one man with the strength to suppress the coming darkness? The Loas do not listen, the Vishanti cannot answer— alone Jericho must decide if he is fit to serve. He will soon learn . . .

32 PGS
$2.99 US
SEP090424
Written by Rick Remender; Pencils by Gabriel Hardman and Jefte Palo; Cover by Marko Djurdjevic; Inks by Gabriel Hardman-Jefte Palo.

Why it’ll go fast: The numbers aren’t out for October yet, but I’m guessing Doctor Voodoo #1 didn’t ship huge numbers initially and the reorders helped the title considerably. Issue #2 will be ordered even lighter than issue #1, as usual, and will disappear even faster. There’re only a few copies of issue #1 online and the regular-priced ones are going quick. There’re still copies of issue #1 available at Diamond Comics, but I don’t expect they’ll last long. The Billy Tan Variant Cover of #1 is also selling very well and getting hotter.

Doom Patrol #4: DC

Doom Patrol #4

Solicitation: When Blackest Night falls, skeletons start coming out of the closets—and no one has more skeletons in his closet than Niles Caulder, founder of the Doom Patrol. Caulder has been playing god for years, and the time for a reckoning has come. The Doom Patrol thought they knew darkness. Find out how wrong they were in this Blackest Night tie-in issue! Meanwhile, in the Metal Men co-feature, trendy meets grotesque when the robots battle a group of living mannequins. Co-feature written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis. Co-feature art by Kevin Maguire. Due 4 Nov 2009.

40 PGS
$3.99 US
SEP090105
Written by Keith Giffen; Back up story by J.M. DeMatteis; Pencils by Justiniano and Livesay; Back up story art by Kevin Maguire.

Why it’ll go fast: Anything with “Blackest Night” on the cover is selling out. Even “Titans” comics, and that hasn’t happened since the first issue. Doom Patrol #2 only shipped 22,001 copies in September checking in at #115 on the top 300 ordered comics. Issue #3 will probably be even lower and though issue #4 will receive a nice bump because of the “Blackest Night” tie-in I’m betting it still sells out quickly. When all is said and done this could be one of the tougher Blackest Night tie-ins to find.

Back Issue Market Watch!

Say what you will of the works of Rob Liefield, one thing can be agreed on by most fans. Deadpool is probably his greatest creation. Maybe the character was a happy little accident or a complete rip-off of Deathstroke the Terminator (a DC character), regardless, the kids love Deadpool. Even the really crappy Ryan Renolds version from the last Wolverine film (don’t get me started and don’t fret; justpressplay.com is reporting that the movie won’t pay any attention to the Wolvie movie Deadpool). Deadpool comics, new and old, are selling for ridiculous prices. Starting at the beginning; “New Mutants” #98 vol. 1, FEB 1991 (The first appearance of Deadpool) guides for $5 (OVST) and $40 (CPG). EBay sales are sitting right around $35-$40 with a couple auctions hitting as high as $60. Keep in mind “New Mutants” #98 is not an extremely rare comic; it was probably printed in the 500,000 to a million range. Finding copies in Very Fine to Near Mint condition is another story. If you have a copy to sell, it might be worth waiting until the rumored Deadpool movie gets closer. Keep in mind the bottom could fall out on the comic if everyone notices #98 is getting hot again.

“Deadpool” #54 vol. 2, July 2001, surprised the heck outta me. DP #54 was part of a two-part Deadpool/Punisher crossover written by Jimmy Palmiotti and drawn by Georges Jantey. The second volume of “Deadpool” was a bit of a cult title at the time that did a great job incorporating comedy with superhero action. DP #54 currently guides at $3 (OVST) $12 (CPG) and is selling for upwards of $40. Like I said, shocking!

Most recently, variants of the latest “Deadpool” vol. 3, 2008, and the latest new DP series “Merc with a Mouth” (2009) have been selling for premium prices. The Liefeld variant of “Deadpool” vol. 3 #1 is selling for $60 and up on Ebay currently while the variants of “Merc with a Mouth” #1 are selling for around $15 each.

So what does it all mean? I wouldn’t start selling your Deadpool collection yet. As news continues to leak of the upcoming DP movie I would expect to see back issues selling for even more. Deadpool has been heating up for years now and doesn’t show signs of cooling.

Next week we’ll take a look at Moon Knight’s history and why his latest comic was an instant sell out. 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 below in the “comments” section below. Also, you can follow me on Twitter, where I’m always screaming about something nerd-related. Thanks to all my new followers and keep the comments coming! Want to know what your comics are worth? Join WorthPoint to search its database or use its “Ask A Worthologist” feature. 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.

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Matt Baum is WorthPoint’s comic book Worthologist.

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This Week in Geek 10/28/09

Matt Baum — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:42:41 +0000

Michael Jackson: This Is It

Be it a number grade from a well known grading service, a pedigree from an auction house or even a signature from a creator, there’s all kinds of factors that can add value to a comic book. One of the most dubious and hard to authenticate is the claim that a comic came from a celebrity’s collection. BEWARE of theses comics. Unless, of course, no one cares and you can get a deal. Then, by all means, buy away. Most recently there has been a slew comics up for auction on several sites that claim to be from Michael Jackson’s personal collection. None of the auctions I’ve seen have sold for much money, but the subject still warrants notice. Most of these auctions, rather than real authentication, have a personal anecdote about a friend or loved one who worked for the “Generous Mr. Jackson,” who personally gave them the comic. No photos of the hand off, no certificate of authentication and perhaps most importantly, no firsthand contact with MJ so as to retain plausible deniability in the case that it could be proved the comic was not from the claimed collection. Without SOME kind of authentication you should never pay more for any comic from any celebrity. I would go as far as to argue that regardless of who owned the comic, the title’s rarity—and therefore value—does not change. In short, Pope John Paul’s copy of Fantastic Four isn’t worth anymore than anyone else’s.

In other MJ news, Bluewater’s Tribute , a comic detailing the life and accomplishments of Jackson, hits stands this week just in time for me to ask them, yet again: Does anyone care? Maybe, and this is a strong maybe here, the release of the “This Is It” concert movie will briefly reheat the Jackson collectible trade for a week or two here, but I don’t see this issue in the top 100 sales at the end of the month. Now let’s talk about the rest of this week’s comics.

My Stack: Here’s a list of the comics I’ll be picking up this Wednesday, Oct. 28. For a full list of comics shipping this week click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Abe Sapien
Batman #692
Blackest Night #4 of 8
Dark Avengers: Ares #1 of 3
Dark Reign: The List: Punisher
Dark Reign: The List: Wolverine
Detective Comics #858
Fantastic Four #572
Green Lantern #47
Guardians of the Galaxy #19
Incredible Hercules #137
Justice Society of America #32
New Avengers #58
New Mutants #6
Nova #30
Punisher #10
Secret Warriors #9
Superman: Secret Origin #2 of 6
Superman #693
Wolverine: Weapon X #6
World’s Finest #1 of 4
X-Factor #50
X-Force #20
X-Necrosha

Thoughts on the stack: Abe Sapien is back for more weird-occult-adventure— something I can’t get enough of—just in time for Halloween. Tony Daniels takes over Batman for a few issues starting this week and I can’t say I’m excited. I read his Battle for the Cowl miniseries, which was underwhelming at best, but this could’ve been due to editorial decisions. We’ll see how it goes but I’m not sold on Daniel as a writer, yet. Blackest Night is awesome. If you disagree you’re just wrong. Two more Dark Reign: The List titles this week, both are by the regular monthly creative teams and both look great. Jonathan Hickman’s first Fantastic Four story, “Solve Everything,” ends this week and has been the best FF story I’ve read since Mark Waid left the title. Kang on the cover of Guardians of the Galaxy has me geeked. I’m still not feeling Willingham and Sturges JSA yet. It’s only been a couple of issues and I’m not giving up yet. I’m just not loving it. The same goes for Zeb Wells’ New Mutants. The title just isn’t thrilling me. Maybe this week’s intro to the “Necrosha” story will kick New Mutants into gear. Superman: Secret Origin is required reading for any super-nerd. World’s Finest looks like it could be a sleeper hit. Supergirl writer, Sterling Gates, has concreted himself as one of the premier DC writers and now looks to team-up the new Superman cast along with the Bat sidekicks. I’m interested. X-Factor #50 comes with a sigh of relief. A few months ago there was no solicitation for this book and many thought the title was cancelled, which would have been terrible. Peter David’s X-Factor is one of the snarkiest and best written Marvel mutant title on the stands although this one is definitely for the real X-nerds. All-in-all it’s a huge week for new comics.

Speculator Picks of the Week:

This is the part where the comic swami calls his shot and picks out three titles that could sell out very quickly. Buy them now at cover price or pay twice as much later.

Dark Avengers: Ares #1 of 3: Marvel Comics

Dark Avengers: Ares

Solicitation: Ares the God of War! His relentless brutality and his bloodthirsty drive to attain victory at any cost earned him not only scorn from his fellow gods in the Greek pantheon, but exile from Olympus as well. After thousands of years living as a man and fighting in man’s bloody, petty conflicts, Ares joined the ranks of Earth’s mightiest heroes—the Avengers.

Now Norman Osborn—the new head of the corrupted Dark Avengers and director of the paramilitary intelligence agency H.A.M.M.E.R. —wants the finest fighting force the God of War can provide. He charges Ares with hand-picking an elite squad of soldiers and beating them into the hardest, sharpest warriors ever to wield an M-60 in each hand.

And that’s exactly what Ares will need, when the goddess Hera provides him with a fighting chance to regain his standing in the pantheon’s eyes. And Ares is taking his men with him into the battle of their lives…

32 PGS
$3.99 US
AUG090465
Written by Kieron Gillen; Pencils and cover by Cary Nord.

Why it’ll go fast: Pay attention, Thor-nerds! Kieron Gillen is the new writer on Thor and here’s your chance to see how he handles writing a god. Plus, the amazing art of Cary Nord. Ares is still not an “A-list” character yet but he’s coming up with the quickness. #1 has a $3.99 price tag, which may scare off a lot retailers who will be content to sell out of the few issues that they do order. This series may not even really heat up until Gillen takes over Thor in a few months. When he does, Ares #1 will be long gone.

New Mutants #6; Marvel Comics

New Mutants

Solicitation: Necrosha, Part 1 (of 3) The dead just won’t stay dead. The New Mutants’ past comes to haunt them as Necrosha hits home. Selene’s master plan busts out of the pages of X-FORCE and into NEW MUTANTS. Rated T+

32 PGS
$2.99 US
AUG090519
Written by Zeb Wells; Pencils by Diogenes Neves; Inks by Cam Smith and Edgar Tadeo; Cover by Christina Strain.

Why it’ll go fast: New Mutants has been selling well but sliding downward since issue #1 debuted, shipping just over 60,000 copies. Last month’s #5 issue checked in at number 77 on the top 300 ordered comics for September shipping a little more than 31,000 copies. Retailers have probably figured out a comfortable ordering number by now and, thinking that everyone is happy with their DC zombie crossover, probably won’t up their order on issue #6. Which will be a mistake. Never underestimate a nerd’s love of the undead! Necrosha is going to be fun and New Mutants #6 is going to be the first in the crossover to disappear.

X-Necrosha; Marvel Comics

X-Necrosha

Solicitation: Death has come to the X-Men. The one true Black Queen has returned, and she wants nothing less than every soul of mutantkind… dead or alive. And everyone who’s ever crossed Selene is going to pay. The dead rise, familiar faces haunt mutants across the world, and Selene takes her final steps into becoming a god. It all begins here in a full-length X-Force extravaganza, and continues in the pages of next month’s issue of X-Force… but the shockwaves of this terrifying event will be felt in New Mutants and X-Men: Legacy, as well, and those reverberations begin here in two all-new bonus tales. One-Shot/Parental Advisory.

$3.99 US
AUG090522
Written by Christopher Yost, Craig Kyle, Mike Carey and Zeb Wells; Pencils by Clayton Crain.

Why it’ll go fast: Not to repeat myself, but a lot of retailers and readers may be thinking that one zombie-themed crossover (Blackest Night) is enough. Not to repeat myself again, but never underestimate the undead. X-Force is a top-40 selling comic every month but doesn’t sell near the levels of the X-Men titles. During the “Messiah Complex” crossover with Cable X-Force was suddenly selling on the level of X-Men Legacy (more than 60,000 copies), the majority of which were re-orders. The same thing is going to happen with Necrosha but this time the readers will be looking for the comic immediately. Watch for this one to sell out before Friday.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

On the subject of value-added comics, where do you stand? What would it take to get you to pay more than guide value on a comic book? A CGC grade? A pedigree? Absolutely nothing?

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This Week in Geek 10/21/09

Matt Baum — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:22:35 +0000

Puppy Power: Bo Obama

I don’t get Manga. Never have. I love anime but I just never got into manga. I read Lone Wolf and Cub and Akira cover-to-cover and loved both, but that’s where my manga buying ended. Well not totally true; I read and loved Osamu Tezuka’s Buddah and Phoenix. So, four manga titles all together. It could be argued that I haven’t given manga a fair shot. I’m not saying it’s not a legitimate comic medium. On the contrary; I spent some time in Japan, and while there, I almost started crying when I saw an entire population reading comics everywhere. I understand how important manga is and appreciate that kids are reading it here in the states, I just don’t get it. Which is why I’m officially starting a manga title of the week section. Not to learn more about the medium or highlight a great manga title. No, that could be informative. I’ll just be picking a funny title and laughing at it. This week’s is: Inubaka: Dog Crazy, which literally translates to “Dog Stupid.” It’s a comic about dog lovers, each issue is at least 150 pages and there’re multiple volumes and a live-action film in the works, allegedly. As I said; Manga, I just don’t get it.

Speaking of “Dog-Stupid,” Bluewater comics adds to their line of political comics with a new title about the Obama’s dog and no, I’m not kidding. Puppy Power: Bo Obama hits the stands this Wednesday and leaves me wondering: who is going to buy this? Ok, this isn’t birther or tea-bagger talk here. I’m a Democrat that voted for the guy, but a comic about the Obama’s dog? Is Bluewater actually making money off these? The Political Power: Obama issue was number 234 on the top 300 comics for September and shipped only 7,779 copies. They’re putting out a Joe Biden comic this week as well.

In other news; the Marvel Solicits for January are up and they include the upcoming “Siege” event that ends Dark Reign. Fun, fun! And check out the DC January solicits for the coolest Green Lantern cover I’ve seen in quite a while.

My Stack: Here’s a list of the comics I’ll be picking up this Wednesday, Oct. 21. For a full list of comics shipping this week click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

The Amazing Spider-Man #609
Azrael #1
Beasts of Burden #2 of 4
Blackest Night #4 of 8
Blackest Night: Superman #3 of 3
Cowboy Ninja Viking #1
Dark Avengers #10
Dark Wolverine #79
Incredible Hulk #603
Invincible Iron Man #19
Justice League of America #38
Lone Ranger and Tonto #3
Mighty Avengers #30
Spider-Woman #2
Star Trek: Nero #3 of 4
Sugarshock
Supergirl #46
Thunderbolts #137
Underground #2 of 4

Thoughts on the stack: The intro to the new Azrael series in the pages of the Batman and Detective Comics annuals from the previous two weeks really didn’t get me too excited. I’m still on board for at least a few issues; just not as fired up as I was after reading the latest Azrael mini. Both Dark Avengers and Dark Wolverine are still great reads and it still shocks me every time I enjoy an issue starring Wolvie’s kid. I find myself on the fence with the Incredible Hulk. I loved Greg Pak’s Planet Hulk, don’t care about Hulk’s son Skaar, and is it just me or is Banner being written like a snarky jerk? Also, I love Olivetti’s art, but I’m getting sick of the computer-generated backgrounds. It just looks weird. Mighty Avengers is another title that’s starting to lose me. I like Dan Slott’s writing and most of the characters on the team, been calling for the death of U.S. Agent for years now, but I need to know why we need this team of Avengers? And do the New Avengers even know this team exists? Maybe this title would be better served as part of the Abnett and Lanning Marvel Cosmic Universe? I wouldn’t mind seeing a Cosmic Avengers team dealing with the upcoming Realm of Kings event. Spider-Woman #1 was great and I couldn’t be happier to see Bendis and Maleev working together again. Undergrund #1 was an unexpected treat. I haven’t seen Steve Lieber’s pencils for a while now and was blown away by how far his art has come since Whiteout. Looking forward to this one being developed into a better film than Whiteout hopefully.

Speculator Picks of the Week:

This is the part where the comic swami calls his shot and picks out three titles that could sell out very quickly. Buy them now at cover price or pay twice as much later.

Justice League of America #38: DC

Justice League of America

Solicitation: A new era begins for the World’s Greatest Heroes as superstars James Robinson (Starman, Superman) and Mark Bagley (Trinity, Ultimate Spider-Man) take over! It all begins as a one-time member of the JLA falls before he can warn the team of looming peril while what’s left of the JLA journeys to the heart of their past to decide if the team has any future at all.

Of course, that means this is the best time for a savage villain from the team’s past to attack the demoralized heroes! The team will have to muster enough will to win not only today, but in the harrowing months to come. It’s the start of a spanking new odyssey for the JLA that will lead in the coming months to a fresh line-up for DC’s flagship team. Get onboard now for the next epic chapter of the Justice League’s legacy!

32 PGS
$2.99 US
Written by James Robinson; Pencils by Mark Bagley; Cover by Andy Kubert.

Why it’ll go fast: Sales on JLA have been tanking for months now. Ever since Duane McDuffy was fired the title has been in free-fall, with guest writers from the days of yore writing fill-in issues about . . . well, about nothing much worth reading. So now James Robinson, of Superman fame is handed the keys to what should be DC’s highest selling title. One problem: much like Superman, which doesn’t currently star Supes, JLA under Robinson will also not have Supes, Bats or Wonder Woman on the team, and therefore, I’m guessing, retailers aren’t going to order piles of this one. And they’ll be sorry. Robinson is going to return JLA to its glory days; maybe not on the level of Morrison’s or Metzler’s sales, but it’ll make for a couple good sell-outs before most retailers catch on.

Cowboy Ninja Viking #1: Image Comics

Cowboy Ninja Viking

Solicitation: It started with Dr. Sebastian Ghislain: rogue psychotherapist/covert op/DJ. Tasked with creating a counter-intelligence unit, he turned to those long thought useless to society . . . patients with Multiple Personality Disorder. These agents became known simply as Triplets. Misguided? Yeah. Impractical? Sure. But did it work? Absolutely not. Now someone has located each Triplet and created a band of ridiculously disturbed, but highly effective assassins. Our only hope? A Triplet known as Cowboy Ninja Viking!

Tag: From the artist of proof comes a new series presented in the golden age format!
32 PGS
$3.50 US
AUG090294
Written by Aj Lieberman; Pencils by Riley Rossmo.

Why it’ll go fast: The title alone oughta sell 100,000 copies of this book. The great premise and awesome art should help as well. Rossmo’s Proof has been garnering attention for a while now and for good reason. It’s a great read. For those of us that missed out on Proof #1 here’s a chance to jump on board his latest series. I don’t see this one selling out right away but as word spreads about CNV, by the time issue two hits the stands number one will be long gone.

Spider-Woman #2: Marvel Comics

Spider-Woman

Solicitation: The Eisner award winning team of Bendis and Maleev (Daredevil, Halo) unveil a big new chapter in the life of Jessica Drew as she heads to Madripoor to do Sword’s dirty work. Based on the ground-breaking motion comic and featuring all new material. And guest starring Spider-Man!!

32 PGS
$2.99 US
AUG090497
Written by Brian Michael Bendis; Pencils and Inks by Alex Maleev; Cover by Matt Hollingsworth.

Why it’ll go fast: Spiderwoman #1 is gone. Sold-out. Selling for at least $10 on eBay as we speak. Now guess what happens with issue #2. It’ll sell out even faster. See when retailers order new series they always order higher on first issues and cut back on the second. Historically this makes for some tough-to-find second issues. Most retailers probably placed a re-order for issue #2 as soon as issue #1 sold out. I’d expect an announcement from Marvel Wednesday afternoon. Spiderwoman is hot, so much so that back issues of the original Spiderwoman series are even starting to see higher prices. By the way, mad props to Alez Maleev and his amazing art. The layouts in issue #1 were amazing.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

When talking about Digital Comics, one of the biggest complaints I have is reading them on either a computer screen or a tiny hand-held device. Recently, with the announcement of a new generation of Tablet computers, it seems these concerns may have been addressed. I’m not saying there will ever be a day when I’ll prefer digital comics, where’s the collectability in jpegs, but the new gen Tablets sound like a real alternative to reading comics on a Kindel or iPhone. What would it take to get you interested in digital comic formats?

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This Week in Geek 10/14/09

Matt Baum — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:15:59 +0000

Wolvie Zombie

It must be October because the Marvel Zombie Variants are back. All month Marvel will be releasing Zombified variants of several of their regular monthly titles. Most of the Variants seem to be shipping 1:10 so expect to see prices in the $7 to $10 range. The Marvel Zombies aren’t the only monsters on the stands this Wednesday. It’s a great week for comic horror. Between 28 Days Later, The Anchor (BOOM Studios), BPRD, Hellboy (Dark Horse), Blackest Night Batman, House of Mystery Halloween Annual (DC), Angel, Clive Barker’s Seduth, Life Undead (IDW), Astounding Wolf Man, Perhapanauts Halloween Spooktacular, Walking Dead (Image), The Marvel Zombies 4 and the Mephisto VS Hardcovers (Marvel) and We Kill Monsters (Red Five). As I said, a few horror titles this week. One would think it was almost Halloween.

My Stack: Here’s a list of the comics I’ll be picking up this Wednesday, Oct. 14. For a full list of comics shipping this week click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Action Comics #882
Adventure Comics #3
The Anchor #1
The Astounding Wolf-Man #19
Batman #691
Blackest Night: Batman #3 of 3
B.P.R.D.: 1947 #4 of 5
Detective Comics Annual #11
DMZ #46
Godland #29
Green Lantern Corps #41
Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #7 of 8
House of Mystery Halloween Annual #1
Incredible Hercules #136
The Marvels Project #3 of 8
Red Robin #5
Secret Six #14
Star Trek Spock Reflections #4
Uncanny X-Men #516
The Unwritten #6

Thoughts on the stack: I’m not going to lie to you here, Nomad #2 and Web of Spidey #1 may very well end up on my pile. I’m just not sure yet, and I’m buying a crap-load of comics as it is. Twenty comics in one week? That’s ridiculous. And I ain’t no mommy blogger getting my reviewed items for free. No sir, Mr. Federal Trade Commission Officer. I’m paying for every issue. True, I get a discount for working at a comic shop, but it’s that or prostitution. I wonder what Sean McKeever, writer of Nomad, thinks of me considering selling my body to afford his comic. I should Twitter him . . . Anyway; it’s been a while since we’ve seen an issue of Godland and I’m just thrilled it’s not cancelled. Just in time for Halloween comes the House of Mystery Halloween Special, and I’m a fool for holiday specials. Even the crappy Christmas ones. Oh, and Magneto is back this week, too.

Speculator Picks of the Week:

This is the part where the comic swami calls his shot and picks out three titles that could sell out very quickly. Buy them now at cover price or pay twice as much later.

The Anchor #1: Boom Studios

The Anchor

Solicitation: Holy warrior, unholy war. Freak of nature, beast of burden, hulking outcast, medieval prize fighter, Viking raider . . . God’s own leg-breaker. One thousand years ago a hulking outcast sought refuge in the crumbling ruins of an ancient monastery and offered in return the one thing he had to give—his fists. Transformed into an immortal warrior monk standing at the gates of Hell itself to keep our world free from its invading armies, The Anchor is mysteriously tricked into centuries of slumber. But today, this holy warrior rises to battle all the unholy monsters unleashed during his slumber.

Cataclysmic action, quirky humor, and profound pathos for fans of Hellboy and The Goon. A new Boom! ongoing series, brought to you by Eisner Award-nominated writer/artist Phil Hester (Green Arrow, Swamp Thing, The Coffin, Firebreather, The Darkness) and fan-favorite artist Brian Churilla (Rex Mundi, The Engineer, Creepy).

• $3.99 US
• AUG090716
Written by Phil Hester; Art and Cover by Brian Churilla.

Why it’ll go fast: Three reasons; great writer, great story and great artist. Oh, and it’s another well-hyped release from Boom Studios that, like the others before it, will be under-ordered and hard to find as soon as nerds start screaming about this title on the net. Boom has a series of hits on their hands with Irredeemable, The Unknown and next, The Anchor. It’s the Goon meets Hellboy with Hulk-like action. What more could a nerd ask for.

Deadpool: #900: Marvel Comics

Deadpool

Solicitation: Special super-sized, action-packed 104-page special to commemorate Deadpool’s historic 900th issue! . . . Wait, has it really been 900 issues . . . ? Who cares! If this collection of octane-infused stories by some of comics’ hottest talent doesn’t make you want to genuflect at the Altar of Wade, nothing will. Thrill as the Merc with a Mouth squares off against probe-happy aliens, trigger-happy mimes and one seriously unhappy fanman—and that’s just half the book! Wince as Wade bares his soul (and lots more) to a shrink who’s got major squirrels in his own attic. Thrill as he travels around the globe and then some to settle a childhood bet. And chill as C.S.I. investigators at a blood-splattered crime scene attempt to piece together why this particular “unsub” needed battery cables, Crisco oil, three stacks of adult magazines and a live chicken to pull off the hit.

• 104 PGS
• $4.99 US
• AUG090527
Written by Charlie Huston, Duane Swierczynski, Fred Van Lente, Jason Aaron, Joe Kelly and Victor Gischler; Penciled by Chris Staggs, Dalibor Talijic, Damion Scott, Kyle Baker, Rob Liefeld, Sanford Greeen and Shawn Crystal.

Why it’ll go fast: All things Deadpool seem to flying off the comic shelves. For now. I’m calling my shot here; there’s no way DP can support three titles a month. Come on, even Wolvie only has two. Well not counting Wolvie First Class, which will be cancelled soon. Here’s the deal; $4.99 for a title partially penciled by Rob Liefeild, who created this character, is going to seem like a lot of money so I don’t see retailers ordering as heavily on this as they have been the regular Deadpool series. Five-dollar comics are scary to order, so the thinking will be order light, sell out and re-order. Which will cause the initial sell out followed by the panic for reorders and ultimately higher prices.

Uncanny X-Men #516: Marvel Comics

Uncanny X-Men

Solicitation: Nation X, Part 1 (of 7). He returns.

• 32 PGS
• $2.99 US
• AUG090513
Written by Matt Fraction; Pencils and inks by Greg Land; Cover byJustin Ponsor.

Why it’ll go fast: Magneto is back, Matt Fraction is the hottest writer in comics right now, the Nation X storyline begins here and, Magneto is back. Uncanny X-Men has no trouble selling but this issue, specifically, is going to sell like mad. Because, like I said, Magneto is back. Okay, I admit, this is the “gimme” of the week. You try writing a comic speculation blog every week.

Nerdy Question of the Week

Okay, I read the e-mails, and yes, I forgot a Nerdy Question of the Week for the last couple blogs. Sorry. I blame the booze and procrastination. But without further ado…

This January DC is bringing back eight different series for one more issue as part of the Blackest Night bi-month. I freaked out when I saw James Robinson was doing one more issue of Starman. If you could have any cancelled or ended DC series back, same creative team, same numbering what would it be? This may be a shocking answer to those who know me, but I think I’d pick Aztek.

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This Week in Geek 10/07/09

Matt Baum — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:34:34 +0000

Bloom County

I have to take a moment here to eat some crow. Not too long ago I was responsible for a lot of yelling and screaming about the state of Spiderman in the Marvel U. This would have been before, during and after the “One More Day” storyline which saw Peter Parker making a deal with the Devil (well Mephisto anyway) to save his Aunt May (whose got to be at least 140 years-old by now) from a near-fatal bullet wound in exchange for his love for Mary Jane and loss of memory for all things therein (no marriage, etc). Though I still find the story line ridiculous and borderline repulsive, I have to admit that the current Amazing Spiderman title is fantastic. I returned to Amazing about three months ago, at the behest of my good friend Joe, and haven’t regretted a single issue. Do I need Spidey to be single and swinging, absolutely not, but good storytelling cannot be denied. Between writers Dan Slott, Mark Waid and Joe Kelley, Spidey hasn’t been in better hands for a long time. So there; I was wrong.

In other news, one of my favorite comic strips from the 1980s (revealing my age here) returns to print this week. IDW, which has been doing a fantastic job in the reprint department (check out its Dick Tracy reprints if you haven’t had a chance), is reprinting Berkeley Breathed’s Bloom County 30 years later in a hardcover library format. Volume one collects 1980-1982 and will be available at comic shops everywhere this Wednesday. As a part of Bloom County’s 30th birthday, USA Today.com will be hosting several of the original strips with commentary from Breathed on their comics section. Bloom County was a favorite strip of mine when it was reprinted in the late 80s; long before I was old enough to appreciate the socio-political humor. There was plenty of absurdist humor for the angry punk-rock-teen as I recall. Revisiting Bloom County as a responsible and learned adult (chuckle) who lived through the cold war should be even more enjoyable.

My Stack: Here’s a list of the comics I’ll be picking up this Wednesday, Oct. 7. For a full list of comics shipping this week click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

The Amazing Spider-Man #608
Astonishing X-Men #31
Batman and Robin #5
Batman Annual #27
Bloom County: The Complete Library Volume 1 of 5: 1980-1982
Cable #19
Criminal: The Sinners #1
Daredevil #501
Dark Reign: The List: Secret Warriors
Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #1
Doom Patrol #3
House of Mystery #18
Justice League: Cry For Justice #4 of 7
Magog #2
Planetary #27
Superman: World of New Krypton #8 of 12
Vengeance of the Moon Knight #2
War Heroes #3 of 6
Witchfinder: In The Service of Angels #4 of 5
X-Men vs. Agents of Atlas #1 of 2

Thoughts on the Stack: It’s time to ask yourself, after the debacle that was Ghost Boxes (in both scheduling and storytelling) do we still care about Astonishing X-Men and just when in the name of continuity is does this title take place? Well, for artist Phil Jiminez’s (I’ve never typed an apostrophe after a Z, and man does it look weird) sake, I do care. For this issue at least. Everyone should read Ed Brubaker’s Criminal, but don’t expect to find back issues. All four volumes were criminally under-printed (I know, comic genius right; pun intended), however, collected versions of the first four volumes should be available in most comic shops and it’s some of the best crime-noir comics ever printed. The first two issues of Doom Patrol have been interesting; I’m on board until at least issue #6. Keith Giffen’s other title, Magog, was a pleasant surprise. One that I went into this title with zero expectations but finished excited about this character for the first time since reading Kingdom Come. Remember Planetary? Story of the explorers of the secret history of the world? No? Could be because issue #26 hit the stands in December . . . of 2006! Yeah, it’s been a little while. But now, with no explanation for its amazing tardiness, we can finally read the finale of an amazing series the plot of which most of us have completely forgotten. Do all hobbies make hobbyists feel like beaten spouses? Moon Knight #1 was good. Not great but good; which is a marked improvement from the last Moon Knight series. And topping off the stack is the “PLEASE, PLEASE buy this issue” of Agents of Atlas starring the X-Men.” I love Agents and you should, too (if it gets cancelled I’ll be handing out bloody noses at your local comic shop soon), but do I need them to . . . “Versus” my X-Men? I guess I’ll find out.

Speculator Picks of the Week:

These are three comics that could sell out very quickly and end up demanding premium prices on the back issue market. Some will be hot for the next two weeks while others will sell at ridiculous prices for the foreseeable future.

Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #1: Marvel Comics

Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #1

Solicitation: Launching from the pages of New Avengers, Jericho Drumm assumes the role of Marvel’s new Sorcerer Supreme as Doctor Voodoo! Having foreseen an unimaginable evil that will soon envelop the Marvel Universe, the Eye of Agamotto has passed the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme on to the one man who has the unique gifts to stave off the coming darkness—but is Doctor Voodoo ready for the momentous duty as avenger of the supernatural? As Jericho begins to grapple with his colossal new position, malevolent beings of vast power see his arrival as an opportunity to strike.

Rising stars Rick Remender (Punisher) and Jefte Palo crack open a new chapter in the Book of Vishanti to tell the ongoing adventures of the new Sorcerer Supreme in the Mighty Marvel fashion!

32 PGS
$3.99 US
AUG090463
Written by Rick Remender; Pencils and inks by Jefte Palo; Cover by Marko Djurdjevic.

Why it’ll go fast: Brother Voodoo is the new Sorcerer Supreme, and if there is anything cooler happening in comics I sure as hell can’t think of it. Let’s be honest here; we’d all love to see a badass ongoing Doctor Strange title, but in lieu of that, we’ll have to make do with a Brother Voodoo comic guest starring Doc Strange, written by Rick Remender, who has been doing stellar work on The Punisher. This one is going to sell. I’m not sure that retailers are sold on Remender, whose Punisher is only shipping about 33,000 monthly (#65 in August on the monthly top 300 comics list), or Brother Voodoo who has recently popped up in New Avengers but is hardly an A-list hero. This one is going to be underestimated and a fun read.

Haunt #1: Image Comics

Haunt #1

Solicitation: McFarlane & Kirkman’s Haunt has arrived! Daniel Kilgore is dragged into his estranged brother Kurt’s secret life of murder and espionage . . . by his ghost. With no training whatsoever, guided by the spirit of his secret-agent brother, Daniel must now solve his brother’s murder and save the world—or die trying! It all starts here, people: Witness the birth of Haunt!

$2.99 US
AUG090285
Written by Robert Kirkman; Pencils by Ryan Ottley; Cover by Todd McFarlane; 1:10 Variant Cover by Ryan Ottley; 1:25 Variant Cover by Greg Capullo.

Why it’ll go fast: Is this another version of Spawn? Maybe. The good news is McFarlane isn’t writing the book and Kirkman is. Do I care? Not sure yet but I’ll give issue one a shot based on my love of Kirkman’s Walking Dead and Invincible. Are people going to freak out for this one? Most definitely. I don’t know what it is about Todd McFarlane but nerds seem to still love him. He’s like the polar opposite of Rob Liefield, who we thought we loved but are now embarrassed to own any of his comics. McFarlane on the other hand, whose Spawn comics are just as bad as any issue of Youngblood, seems to have a permanent seat in Nerd Valhalla. I loved his Spiderman; we all did. But Todd lost me with Spawn. Obviously, I’m the problem because all four covers of Haunt are going to sell like the chromium-gatefold-glow-in-the-dark Spawn covers of yesterday. The best part; McFarlane is only inking the book and his name will still sell issues. I can’t explain it folks. I just call them as I see them.

War Heroes #3 of 6: Image Comics

War Heroes #3 of 6

Solicitation: After weeks of training, the recruits finally get to try out their super-powers on real-life targets, as Project Olympus marches en masse across the Middle East, much to the horror of the world at large. But things are not as simple as they seem, and Calvin’s poster-boy brother is up to something.

WARNING: May not be suitable for all ages. Note: Originally solicited 2008-05-15 for shipment 2008-08-27—resolicited 2009-06-12 for shipment 2009-09-16

32 PGS
$2.99 US
JUL090409
Written by Mark Millar; Pencils and cover by Tony Harris; Inks by Cliff Rathburn; Variant Cover by Frank Cho.

Why it’ll go fast: Mark Millar continues his streak of late comics with War Heroes #3 just in time to kill the buzz created by the announcement of War Heroes being green lit for the big screen. All year-old movie buzz aside, fans are going to come looking for this one because, say what you will about his problem with deadlines, Mark Millar writes good comics. When we last saw War Heroes (Spoiler Alert!!!!) super-powered American soldiers were going to sell the medication that gave them super-powers to Al Queda. I’m telling you here: Glen Beck, Bill O’Reilley or Rush Limbaugh; one of these guys is going to get a hold of this comic, denounce it as “un-American” and one of two things will happen. 1. Piles of War Heroes will be burned by neo-cons everywhere in a desperate bid to distract America from further talk of health care reform, thereby making copies next to impossible to find. 2. The initial denouncement of the comic will give it a bunch of free publicity which will counter act the stand that retailers took against Millar by ordering low on issue #3 in the face of his blatant lateness while choosing their statement carefully by cutting back on War Heroes rather than a title like Wolverine that makes them fistfuls of cash. That has gotta be the run-on sentence of the year!

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This Week in Geek 9/23/09

Matt Baum — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:13:00 +0000

Blackest Night

The DC December solicitations are up and, as always, they give away just enough plot to keep us salivating. The most shocking of which seems to deal with the fate of one of my favorite members of the Green Lantern Corps. I’m not going into it because this is not a spoiler blog but I will say, it freaked me straight out.

In sad news, the body of Yoshito Usui, creator of the hilarious manga Crayon Shin Chan, was discovered at the base of a cliff on Arafune Mountatin in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. I fell in love with the anime-version of Shin while it was airing on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim a couple of years ago. The American manga version was published by the DC CMX Imprint. One of the more bizarre animes I’ve seen, Crayon Shin Chan is basically a Japanese Dennis the Menace with much more irreverent toilet humor. It’s not high-brow comedy by any terms, but it was fun and the show had one of the best theme songs ever written. Shin Chan will continue to be printed until November but the future of the Manga after that is not clear.

My Stack: Here’s a list of the comics I’ll be picking up this Wednesday, Sept. 23. For a full list of comics shipping this week click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Amazing Spider-Man #606
Blackest Night: Superman #2 of 3
Dark Reign: The List: X-Men
Dark X-Men: The Confession
Detective Comics #857
Fantastic Four #571
Guardians of the Galaxy #18
Immortal Weapons #3 of 5
Incredible Hercules #135
Incredible Hulk #602
New Avengers #57
Spider-Woman #1
Star Trek Spock Reflections #3
Supergirl #45
Superman: Secret Origin #1 of 6
Uncanny X-Men #515
Underground #1 of 4
Wolverine: Old Man Logan Giant-size #1

Thoughts on the pile: It’s an awesome week for new comics starting with, in alphabetical order of course, Blackest Night: Superman. Like most DC nerds, I’m loving Blackest Night and the Zombie Earth 2 Superman is more than enough to sell me a comic. Two Dark Reign X-books this week and they both look great. Fraction’s writing on Uncanny X-Men has been wonderful and the X-Men “The List” book looks to be as good, if not better, than the others before it. Yost’s on the Utopia story was perfect, and Yost’s “The Confession” will tie up some loose plot lines dealing with his X-Force title, which has been equally great. Jonathan Hickman’s first issue of Fantastic Four ended with one of the best last pages I’ve seen in quite a while (I giggled audibly upon reading) and I can’t wait for this issue. Immortal Weapons has been fun but I would much rather a monthly Iron Fist title with an Immortal Weapons back-up story. I keep meaning to check out the Spider Woman motion comics over at iTunes. In all honesty, I don’t know how I feel about motion comics. I am, however, very excited about the new Spider Woman title. I loved Bendis and Maleev on Daredevil and expect to love Spider Woman just as much. I love the Spock: Reflections book and all the other IDW Star Trek movie tie-ins. So much so I started eyeing some of the other IDW Star Trek titles. That John Byrne Klingons trilogy is calling my name. If I had to pick one title to buy this week it would be Superman: Secret Origin. After all the shake-ups, reboots and cosmic-time-bending crossovers we need a new definitive origin for Supes and the team of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank couldn’t be more perfect for the job. Lastly, and right on time, is the Giant Size Wolverine: Old Man Logan finale. Remember the epic “Wolvie-in-the-future” story Mark Millar started but never finished about five months ago? Well, without any explanation as to why it’s so late, the final issue is here . . . Finally. It’s not so much that I want to finish this story but more that I have to. Damn it Mark Millar! Why can’t I quit you?

Speculator Picks of the Week:

Spider-Woman #1 1 Other Edition

Spider-Woman

Solicitation: THE WAIT IS OVER! The explosive Eisner award-winning team of Bendis and Maleev reunite for their first ongoing series since Daredevil! Ripped from the pages of New Avengers and Secret Invasion, watch as the gorgeous and mysterious Jessica Drew reenters a society she did not make . . . as an AGENT OF S.W.O.R.D. This brand new series is a perfect companion to the dazzling Spider-Woman motion comic. Containing new story and artwork not available in any other format. This is the start of a major chapter in one of the most high profile characters in all of Marvel Comics.

$3.99 US
JUL090552
Written by Brian Michael Bendis; Pencils and Inks by Alex Maleev; Cover by Matt Hollingsworth.

Why it’ll go fast: Bendis can sell the hell out of an Avengers title but can he sell fans on Spider Woman? Bendis and Maleev last partnered on Dardevil in 2006, and while their DD sold well, it was never a top-10 seller. Spider Woman is pretty far from an A-list hero, like Daredevil, so I can’t see retailers ordering too high on this book which is why it’ll sell out very quickly. Fans have been waiting for this one and maybe the iTunes motion comic will even help sales. I doubt it but maybe. Watch for the 50:50 Alex Ross variant as well.

Star Trek Spock Reflections #3: IDW

Star Trek Spock Reflections

Solicitation: Ambassador Spock’s mysterious journey continues! As Spock makes his way toward Earth, he thinks back on another previously untold tale from his past, this time featuring James T. Kirk, Leonard McCoy and the crew of the original U.S.S. Enterprise! From the team that brought you Star Trek: Mirror Images, and the artist of Star Trek: Countdown!

32 pages
$3.99 US
JUL090925
Written by Scott and David Tipton; Pencils by David Messina and Federica Manfredi; Cover by David Messina.

Why it’ll go fast: I’ve been pimping these Star Trek movie spin-off comics for months now and have taken some criticism for it recently. Not because the comics aren’t great; even the guy that criticized my speculator choice admitted to loving the comics. The back issues of both the Spock and Nero comics haven’t taken off as fast as the Star Trek: Reflections issues did. True . . . But they are starting to pick up some steam and will only get harder to find as the next movie approaches. I’d bet my replica tricorder on it.

Superman: Secret Origin #1 of 6: The Boy of Steel

Superman: Secret Origin

Solicitation: Hot on the heels of their acclaimed run on Action Comics, superstars Geoff Johns and Gary Frank reunite to present a six-issue event that spells out the definitive origin of Superman for the 21st century—and it all starts with a gigantic 48-page issue! Chronicling Clark Kent’s journey from the cornfields of Smallville to the skyscrapers of Metropolis, you’ll witness a whole new look at the beginnings of Lex Luthor, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Lois Lane, Metallo, Jimmy Olsen, the Parasite and more! It’s a look at the mythic past of the Man of Steel with an eye toward the future!

48 PGS
$3.99 US
JUL090178
Written by Geoff Johns; Pencils by Gary Frank; Inks by Jon Sibal; Cover by Brad Anderson.

Why it’ll go fast: Superman nerds both young and old will be keeping an eye on this book and with good reason. Nothing could be more controversial than an updated version of the first, and arguably most important, superhero. I trust Geoff Johns implicitly and adore Gary Frank’s art, as do most super-nerds. I’m guessing a lot of retailers underestimate the selling potential on this title due to the low sales on the regular Supes-titles as of late. Which is too bad, because all the regular continuity Superman books are better than they’ve been in years. It’s Superman history in the making nerds. If you miss out I won’t be the only one making fun of you.

Nerdy Question of the Week:

With the recent rumor of Marvel lowering prices on their regular comics to $1.99 retailers have been in a panic fearing their profits being cut in half. What would the lower price tag do for you as collector? Would you buy more? Try different titles? Or just save some cash?

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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.

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This Week in Geek 9/16/09

Matt Baum — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:18:12 +0000

Marvel, Disney and the $1.99 Comic Book?

There was an amazing rumor that hit the internet last week. Well, an amazing comic rumor. anyway. We all know that Disney bought Marvel Comics recently. Shortly afterwards; amidst the rumors of Pixar Ant Man movies and Mickey Mouse/Spiderman crossovers came the rumor that Disney was seriously lowering the cost on new comics to $1.99. A price point we haven’t seen since the mid-1990s, the idea being to take a loss on the comics but get them in more people’s hands. More people reading comics, hopefully, translate to higher movie ticket and DVD sales, which is where the real money is. It’s an idea that I love, and not just because I’ll save a ton of cash each month. First of all, if Marvel lowered their cover price, DC would have to follow suit. I wouldn’t expect Dark Horse, Image or any of the smaller companies to do the same, but in theory, they wouldn’t have to. If the two companies that control more than 85 percent of the comic market combined lower their prices, that translates to most collectors saving a huge chunk of comic cash each month, which means more money to try new titles. Suddenly, everyone has an extra $4 laying around to checkout the new Jeff Smith book. Secondly, as a comic shop employee, I can tell you, it’s a lot harder to get some one to try out a $4 comic than one that costs $2. At one point in the ’90s there were millions of people reading comics and they haven’t disappeared. They just can’t justify the expense.

Here’s a list of the comics I’ll be picking up this Wednesday, Sept. 16. For a full list of comics shipping this week click here. To find a comic shop near you click here.

Action Comics #881
Agents of Atlas #11
Amazing Spider-Man #605
Batgirl #2
Batman and the Outsiders #22
Batman and Robin #4
Batman: Streets of Gotham #4
Beasts of Burden #1 of 4
Blackest Night #3 of 8
The Brave And The Bold #27
Captain America: Reborn #3 of 5
Dark Avengers #9
Dark Reign: The List: Daredevil
Dark Wolverine #78
The Invincible Iron Man #18
The Lone Ranger #18
Mighty Avengers #29
Punisher #9
Vengeance of the Moon Knight #1
X-Factor #48

Thoughts on the pile: There’s a lot of Bat-books on this week’s list and I’m starting to wonder if I need them all. I recently passed on Streets of Gotham #3 only to hunt it down a week later and enjoy reading it. Batgirl gets one more issue to grab me; I still say Cassandra was a more compelling character. Bat’s and the Outsiders is another title that’s beginning to lose me. It just feels a bit directionless but then again, outside of the Superman titles what in the DCU doesn’t feel that way at present. I love Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson and fully expect to love Beasts of Burden. Besides, there’s a pug in the book (I have two pugs and yes, I’m a total pug-dork). I was disappointed in Straczynski’s Red Circle one-shots but think he’ll really shine on the Brave And The Bold. I can’t comment on the Dark Reign: The List titles as I haven’t read the first installment yet, I know; credibility destroyed, but I’ll be buying them all blindly and not worrying about it at all. Dark Wolverine, while being woefully titled, is a really fun read. I would have never guessed I’d be so happy with a title about Wolvie’s son Daken (I like to pronounce it Dokken) written by Daniel Way. Still loving Remender’s Punisher although I don’t think it’s the best use of Huat’s pencils. I will buy the new Moon Knight title the same way I buy every new Moon Knight title but I’m not kidding myself here. On the very slim chance that I do like the book I’m sure it’ll be canceled by issue #9.

Speculator Picks of the Week:

The Brave And The Bold #27: DC

The Brave And The Bold

Solicitation: The wait is over as J. Michael Straczynski arrives on The Brave And The Bold! First up, the best-selling scribe pairs Batman and… Dial H For Hero? Robby Reed and his grandfather thought their brief visit to Gotham City would go smoothly until one of Gotham’s petty thieves made the score of the century in the form of Robby’s H-Dial! Batman’s on the case, but The Joker’s crime wave has the city in a panic, and the power of the H-Dial has had a very unexpected effect on the hood who stole it. The choices he makes could change his life—and Robby’s—forever! Features the stunning art of Jesus Saiz (OMAC PROJECT)!

32 PGS
$2.99 US
JUL090197
Written by J. Michael Straczynski; Pencils by Jesus Saiz.

Why it’ll go fast: Since the announcement of JMS coming to DC this is the title we’ve been waiting to read. I’ll give you, the Red Circle one-shots were not great, but this is going to be worth picking up. When given free out-of-continuity reign JMS is at his best. Besides, it’s been quite a while since we’ve had a good Dial H for Hero story.

Dark Reign: The List: Daredevil: Marvel Comics

Dark Reign: The List: Daredevil

Solicitation: After the shocking events of Daredevil 500, Norman Osborn’s eyes turn to Hell’s Kitchen—and he doesn’t like what he sees. Now Osborn dispatches the only assassin he can rely on to kill Daredevil—Bullseye—but all is not as it seems. It’s a fight that’s been brewing for years… featuring the Daredevil debut of writer Andy Diggle, and the superstar talents of artist Billy Tan! Plus, a preview of Daredevil #501, Andy Diggle’s first issue of DD, and character designs! One-Shot/Rated T

$3.99 US
JUL090494
Written by Andy Diggle; Pencils by Billy Tan; Inks by Matt Banning; Cover by Justin Ponsor.

Why it’ll go fast: Dark Reign has had no trouble selling but add another colon and another title, “The List”, and it sells even better. The top-notch writing and penciling team of Andy Diggle and Billy Tan shouldn’t hurt either. Last week’s Dark Reign: the List: Avengers (count ’em, two colons) started the fire and will probably be the highest selling comic of September. The list DD promises to be just as shocking as Norman Osborne’s plot against Marvel’s heros continues.

Vengeance of the Moon Knight #1: Marvel Comics

Vengeance of the Moon Knight

Solicitation: “Shock And Awe,” Part 1: Moon Knight is back in the Big Apple and looking to pick a fight with the man who chased him out of town in the first place: Norman Osborn. Freed of his demons and armed with an arsenal of incredible new weapons, Moon Knight is finally the hero he always aspired to be—taking out criminals with massive flair and throwing down the gauntlet to his old nemesis. Is Osborn ready for Round Two?

$3.99 US
JUL090555
Written by Gregg Hurwitz; Pencils by Jerome Opena; Cover by Leinil Francis Yu.

Why it’ll go fast: Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure this is Moon Knight vol. 5. It seems that Marvel just can’t get their knock-off-Batman (and I say that with nothing but love for the character) right. Is he deranged, depressed, just a jerk? Well Gregg Hurwitz is here to set the record straight. Moon Knight is done cutting off people’s faces and talking to himself (see Moon Knight vol. 4) and he’s back in the big apple. I can’t imagine a world where retailers go nuts and order stacks of this issue. By issue #4 people are going to be talking about Moon Knight and issue #1 will be long gone. Check it out people. Vengeance of Moon Knight is the Moon Knight series most likely to succeed.

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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.

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Join WorthPoint on Twitter and Facebook.