This Week's Comics - 11/9/11

The efforts to be financially mature continue, but, as you'll see in the following Pull List for this week, I'm including on the list certain titles I would probably buy if I were rich.

Mostly, as per usual, my list is predominantly Marvel and X-Men based. Except of course for Buffy.

DC

Batgirl #3:  I haven't been loving Gail Simone's newly mobile Barbara Gordon. She's a bit whiny and all over the place, not to mention failing spectacularly from the get-go. Also I still miss Stephanie Brown quite a lot. However, this issue sees Barbara interacting with Dick Grayson, who's own Nightwing series is very good. I'm interested to see their present dynamic, but this may be my final shot on Batgirl.

Batman and Robin #3:  Due to not loving Tomasi's run on this title pre-relaunch, I'm dropping this book. The Bruce/Damian interaction wasn't as interesting in the first two as I'd hoped. Mostly we're seeing a regressed Damian with homicidal impulses that, let's be honest, Dick Grayson as Batman already helped him work out.

Huntress #2 of 6:  I like Paul Levitz as well as the Huntress, especially in her native Italy and with all the current events of the country playing a role. But it's not good enough to keep on the list.

Superboy #3: Frankly this one sucks. I'll get my Superboy fix in the also awful, but still probably gonna buy, Teen Titans.


MARVEL

Avenging Spider-Man #1:  This title seems cool, teaming Spidey up with heroes, kind of like the role Astonishing X-Men plays in the X-titles. I also like Zeb Wells a lot as a writer (he kicked ass with New Mutants.) BUT I'm not about to start a new ongoing. Also Red Hulk holds no interest for me, and that's his first team-up.

Battle Scars #1 of 6:  As if I'd buy yet another miniseries dragging out the terrible Fear Itself.

Fear Itself #7.2 (?):  Undecided about this one. The last .1 issue, featuring Bucky Cap, was rather good and surprising, so I may give this a shot. This one focuses on Iron Man, and while Tony Stark is not my favorite, the fact of him getting drunk during Fear Itself being revealed to his teammates and the world has a lot of drama potential.

Magneto: Not A Hero #1 of 4:  This seems a bit useless. It's your standard bad-guy-gone-good gets framed for murder since he's an easy mark. I enjoy Magneto on X-Men these days, but not gonna get this one.

New Avengers #18:  Norman Osborn continues his return, putting back together the Dark Avengers and making HAMMER relevant again. Could be good.

Point One (One-Shot):  This is the title that they kept telling us to buy at every Marvel panel at New York Comic Con. Apparently it sets up the next year of stories for the Marvel Universe, features their best writers dealing with big Marvel mythology stuff like The Watcher, and we get our first glimpse of Nova who's coming back, and possibly some more hints about Phoenix.

Uncanny X-Force #17: This title is terrific, and the Dark Angel Saga has been great, if getting a bit long. Archangel has gone fully psycho and turns Betsy into his Death Horseman of the Apocalypse. Looking forward to seeing how Psylocke gets out of it and an escalation in violence as we near the conclusion.

X-Men Legacy # 258: The final issue of Mike Carey after years of great X-work, concluding his cosmic art featuring long-missed characters like Rachel Summers, Havok and Polaris. I know it's going to be fantastic, and I hope we get a little set-up at the end for the team's new role at Wolverine's school. I'm gonna miss you Mr. Carey.

DARK HORSE

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #3:  Season 9 continues, with a more realistic, focused direction. I honestly can't seem to remember what happened in #2 (is it possible I missed a week of Buffy?! Can't be.) but either way, this is one comic I can't not buy, no matter how bad it may get. And so far it's been a stellar return.

Looks like my goal of keeping the weekly comic bill under $20 is gonna work out all right again. Cheers.