This Week's Comics - 3/28/12

First of all, my recent absence can be explained in two words: Jury Duty. It's true, Captain Elias answered the call of civic duty (under threat of punishment) and shouldered the waves of justice like an impartial frigate of...justice. It was slightly more involved then the Articles of War, yet there was less wiggle room in the actual sentencing. Regardless, it has ended, and the best way to get back into the ol' routine, is to get back into new-comic-Wednesdays. Here's your Pull List (bit long, mostly Marvel) and my Pick of the Week:



POTW: Avengers vs. X-Men Starts Here! (Kind of.)



Friday News Roundup: From Avengers to Fiona Apple

Check out Fiona's bangs (and new music), Michonne's adult origins, the archery skill levels of Katniss vs. Hawkeye, and more.

Storm Storms Off, Marvels Marvel, and other AvX Goodies

*UPDATED* Scroll to bottom for newest AvX teaser released today.
Like most things that I eagerly, feverishly anticipate (Hunger Games, Avengers) I try to take a break every now and then from the continuous marketing campaigns, which have an unfortunate tendency, if consumed indiscriminately, to increase in intensity far past the point of giggly delight until they crash on the sharp rocks of overexposure.

Which is to say, I haven't checked out any AvX news in several weeks. My excitement level is very high for this Spring/Summer's Marvel event, but I'm also a realist. Not only could the plot itself be disappointing, but it is a pretty ambitious length. A dozen chapters I think, multiple tie-ins, a total envelopment of the Marvel universe in this particular story. Month in, month out, that is bound to wear a body down. Hell I was sick of Fear Itself before the first issue came out, but the premise was much worse than AvX there, and one hopes the quality levels will be just as different.

The point is, there's a fair amount of teasers, previews, news releases, and solicitations to catch up on. And when you put them all together...well, you get a pretty clear view of what the first act of this violent, soapy, drama will look like. I'm just calling it a drama for now, but we should all expect a fair amount of tragedy in the coming months. Read on to see some pretty pictures and piece the impending plot points together.

This Week's Comics - 3/14/12

A pretty fun Pull List this week, matching the Spring weather almost perfectly. If you have noticed my recent blog absence then I'm sure you'll forgive me, on account of the lingering side-effects of reading Battle Royale. Naturally it makes perfect sense that all my time is therefore split between the requisite daily-grind-eek-out-a-living routine, and sitting on my rooftop in the full fresh season-change weather rereading Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin's exploits as fast as my eyes can travel.

There's nothing like Patrick O'Brien for a troubled soul. Though superheroes and magic and comic books can prove a decent distraction as well, which brings us to our Pick of the Week.

The Unwritten #35 brings us the conclusion to "Tommy Taylor and the War of Words" and while Mike Carey's consistent brilliance assures us a great story, I think that cover may be reason enough to win Pick of the Week. Read on for the rest.

Book Reviews: Ilium/Olympos & Battle Royale

Ilium & Olympos by Dan Simmons

Before I say anything critical or get to the unfortunate complaint that will not vacate my head where it rests and squawks and leaves me no peace, let me just say that I loved these stories, I loved the experience of reading them, and I am now without a doubt a Dan Simmons fan, with plans to start Hyperion presently, or perhaps Drood.

In fact Simmons has made me more than just interested in his other writing. I also want to re-read Shakespeare (starting with Tempest), discover Proust, refresh my memory of the Odyssey and Aenead, read Schliemann’s notes on Troy, and even brave the literary Olympus Mons that is Joyce’s Ulysses (a climb I abandoned years ago before even reaching Base Camp 1.)

This Week's Comics - 3/7/12

This week is a small Pull List, and exclusively Marvel. Ladies and gentlemen, your pick of the week:

Avengers: Children's Crusade #9. The Finale.