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10 Comics to Watch This Week
Wolverine celebrates a milestone and the new Scarlet Spider debuts.
January 9, 2012 January 10, 2012 January 9, 2012
Welcome to Comics to Watch, a collection of our 10 most anticipated books and collectibles of the week. As comics grow more expensive with an ever expanding amount of tie-ins, new series, and huge crossovers, our pull lists shrink. That's why we've streamlined this feature down to suit the needs of the average comic book consumer.
Regardless of publisher, genre, or format -- these are the books (and toys) that have us feverishly awaiting this coming Wednesday to support our local comic book shop. If you're looking for Diamond's complete shipping list for the week, you can check it out here.
Be sure to sound off in the comments below and let us know what you're excited for.
Publisher: DC | Price: $2.99
What It Is: Damian has finally chosen a life on the wrong side of the law under the guidance of Nobody. Now, Bruce Wayne needs to look deep inside and reassess his parenting tactics if he ever hopes to get his son back on his side.
Why We're Excited: Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's Batman and Robin has been a solid read since it relaunched alongside the rest of New 52. With that said, last issue was probably our favorite of the series yet, making us beyond excited to see where this story arc heads next.
The Intrepids - TPB
Publisher: Image | Price: $16.99
What It Is: Collecting issues #1-6, the first volume of Intrepids sees a group of runaway and homeless teenagers fall under the supervision of a brilliant, aging inventor named Dante. With Dante's help, the kids arm themselves with his insane gadgets to protect mankind. It's almost like a new age X-Men book.
Why We're Excited: If you missed the single issues of Intrepids, now's your chance to read the charming, quirky story under one cover. Trust us, Intrepids is a great read worth your money. It's also good enough to secure a spot front and center on your bookshelf.
Publisher: DC | Price: $2.99
What It Is: Lucien Gates continues to struggle with his new powers. And if that wasn't enough, Lucien has to set aside time to meet his girlfriend's picky parents while giant monsters invade San Diego. Life just got a lot more complicated for poor old Lucien.
Why We're Excited: Okay, first thing's first: Ray #1 was not an incredible issue; it was solid, but was nothing to write home about. However, we really like Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti's take on the new Ray character, Lucien Gates. His attitude towards being a superhero is like none other found in the New 52, and diversity is nothing but a good thing. Therefore, we hope The Ray really picks up with its second issue to justify this series sticking around.
Scalped #55
Publisher: Vertigo | Price: $2.99
What It Is: Scalped's latest story arc, "Knuckle Up," concludes with issue #55. And with this issue we finally get what we've been waiting some time to see: Dash vs. Shunka. Vertigo is promising an ending that will blow us away. Here's hoping.
Why We're Excited: As we march ever closer to the end of Scalped with issue #60, we can't help but be giddy with anticipation at how these final few issues play out. And with issue #5 being the final issue of "Knuckle Up," it's probably safe to assume this is truly the beginning of the end for everyone on the Rez.
Publisher: Marvel | Price: $3.99
What It Is: The Spider-Man franchise has grown larger in the past year. First it was Rick Remender's Venom spinoff, and then Zeb Wells' team-up series The Avenging Spider-Man. Now another series is being added to the Spidey lineup. In Scarlet Spider, Kaine struggles to come to terms with his new role and new stomping grounds as he battles the worst Houston has to offer (which we assume is more than just oil tycoons and people who enjoy barbecue too much).
Why We're Excited: Chris Yost deserves a Spider-Man series of his own. Fear Itself: Spider-Man proved that much. Luckily, the Scarlet Spider segment of last year's Point One issue was among the strongest, so we have every reason to believe Yost will bring the same magic to this new project. Stegman, meanwhile, deserves more high profile projects in general, so we think the two will make a fine pair.
Severed #6
Publisher: Image | Price: $2.99
What It Is: Welcome to the penultimate issue of Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft's tension-filled horror series. One question remains unanswered: will Jack be able to escape the sharp teeth of the Salesman? God, we hope so.
Why We're Excited: Ever since the series' first issue, we've been big fans of Severed. The main reason is because it pulls inspiration from the right horror sources -- films like The Shining, Halloween and any other horror story built on a foundation of suspense instead of cheap scares. With only two issues remaining, we're expecting a big cliffhanger in Severed #6 to propel us towards the book's sure-to-be-terrifying conclusion.
Spider-Man: Spider-Island - HC
Publisher: Marvel | Price: $39.99
What It Is: One of the bigger Spider-Man stories in recent years is now collected in one hardcover. Spider-Island explores what happens when everyone in Manhattan gains spider powers, suddenly rendering Peter Parker less than spectacular. The hardcover collects not just the main storyline, but also the essential prologue tales, several issues of Venom, and the Spider-Island: Deadly Foes one-shot.
Why We're Excited: Not since the "Back in Black" days have we seen any contemporary Amazing Spider-Man storylines collected in oversized format. If we can't have a Gauntlet Omnibus, at least we have a lavish Spider-Island collection. This book collects some of Slott's better work on the series and also makes an excellent jumping-on point for new readers.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – War #1
Publisher: Dark Horse | Price: $3.50
What It Is: It's been nearly two years since Dark Horse delivered the final issue of its Knights of the Old Republic comic. But with the Old Republic MMO drawing new attention to that era of the Star Wars timeline, what better time than now to return to the adventures of Zayne Carrick and his friends? War picks up shortly after the conclusion of the previous series, with the peace-loving Zayne forcibly drafted into the Mandalorian Wars.
Why We're Excited: We figured John Jackson Miller had moved on to other Star Wars adventures, so it's a nice surprise to see Zayne and the gang back in action. It looks as though this mini-series will tie more closely into the events of the KOTOR games, which is always a plus. And we're also intrigued by the presence of Andrea Mutti. Mutti's artistic talents should offer a fresh new take on the Star Wars universe.
Wolverine #300
Publisher: Marvel | Price: $4.99
What It Is: Wolverine becomes the latest Marvel hero to hit a major numbering milestone this week. Frankly, we're surprised it took the world's busiest mutant this long to reach the #300 mark. This oversized issue is also notable in that it kicks off Jason Aaron's final arc on the series. With Wolverine heading to Japan and Sabretooth back in action, no doubt Aaron will end his run with a bang.
Why We're Excited: We always figured with Aaron taking on Wolverine and the X-Men that it would only be a matter of time until he departed this series. But as we said, this finale arc shows every sign of ending things on a high note. This issue also reunites Aaron with Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine collaborator Adam Kubert. Could a certain loose end from that series also be addressed in this issue?
X-Men Legacy #260.1
Publisher: Marvel | Price: $2.99
What It Is: Mike Carey just wrapped up his extensive run on X-Men Legacy with issue #260. It's a new era for Rogue and her friends. Not only are they moving back to Westchester, they're also finding a new writer in the form of Christos Gage. Legacy is now focused on Rogue, Gambit, Rachel Grey, and the other senior faculty of the new Jean Grey Institute.
Why We're Excited: Mike Carey is a tough act to follow on any series. However, Gage has been doing great work on Avengers Academy for the past two years. We're hopeful he can bring the same character-focused approach to Legacy. The shelves are as crowded with X-books as ever, but that doesn't mean you should ignore the revamped Legacy.
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