Prejudged! 02.16.10

Here we are, in another action-packed edition of the All-New, All-Powerful Prejudged!!! This is another huge week in comic books, with releases like Amazing Spider-Man, Green Lantern, Captain America, Batman, Dark Avengers, Daredevil, Power Girl, Deadpool, Incredible Hulk, and Uncanny X-Men.

This time though, we’ll be taking a look at covers to titles which I think should be getting more attention, in an attempt to make this already big week HUGE!!!

First on our list is Invincible #70: cover by Ryan Ottley

After years of build-up, the Sequid Invasion finally begins and Invincible and his fellow heroes seem outmatched and overwhelmed. How will they escape their doom?… Just a little old-school hyping up for ya. As always, Invincible promises to be a fun-filled thrill ride with lots of action, drama, and a whole lot of teen angst. This comic book has been as consistent as its Marvel counterpart, Ultimate Spider-Man, without stepping into “rip-off” territory. As a friend once said: “Invincible is good enough to make you pass on sex”…… There’s a comments section at the bottom of the page, by the way.

Next is Batman: Streets of Gotham #9; cover by Dustin Nguyen

This is my bet for Alex’s next Cover of the Week. Heck, just the covers alone make me get this title every month. Not to say that the stories aren’t good too. This issue is penned by Mike Benson. For those who aren’t familiar with him; Michael Benson is a regular writer on HBO’s hit series “Entourage”. Come to think of it, he’s probably responsible for Vincent Chase as Aquaman….. Anyway, expect this issue to have the usual gorgeous artwork from Nguyen, with a strong done-in-one story. The Manhunter c0-feature ain’t too shabby either.

Next up is a personal favorite, Punisher #14; cover by Mike McKone

Bitch all you want about the plot being ridiculous and campy, cause guess what, this isn’t your usual Garth Ennis Punisher anymore. You can save the gritty realism for the Marvel MAX line. This is the 616, where people wear bright colored spandex and can come back from the dead as a badass Frankenstein monster. I thought I’d never again read a Punisher book and actually have a blast. It’s not that I don’t like the Ennis Punisher (the adult in me loves it), it’s just that the 8 year old in me thinks Franken Castle is an awesome name!

Lastly we have Joe the Barbarian #2; cover by Sean Murphy

Grant Morrison and Sean Murphy. If you’re aware of who these two are, that should be enough reason to pick this up. The first issue was off to a great start, showcasing the spectacular artwork of Mr. Murphy and a more grounded Grant Morrison (as opposed to the freaky weird (albeit brilliant) version of Grant Morrison) who is one of the few comic book writers who excel at both superhero and non-superhero stories. Joe the Barbarian is a powerful piece of storytelling.

So there you have it. If you’re not already reading these titles, I hope I’ve been able to steer you towards at least taking a good long look at the cover to Streets of Gotham. See you next week.