Internettings!

So, I missed both Friday and Monday's posts because I was busy working on the store's new website, which is probably how you got here.

www.ComicZoneAZ.com - Check it out!

Also, my mom, Linda, has a blog about her experiences in being a co-owner of Comic Zone. You can read her musings at comiczonelinda.blogspot.com

In other news, my friend from across the pond, the incomparable Lord Mitz has been updating his newest webcomic, Plan B!. Check that out over on www.GoonPatrol.com/planb

And, finally, my cousin, Alex, and I have been working on our own webcomic for the past several weeks, Hawk & Kid. You can read our work over on my personal website, www.PsychoAndy.com

New Avengers 52

New Avengers #52
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils by Billy Tan and Chris Bachalo
$3.99
Marvel Comics
No, everybody else is going to be talking about Detective Comics 853 this week. I won't do it.

Well, maybe a little: Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert's "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" is damn good. It almost makes me care about Batman, which I generally don't. So, you should come in to Comic Zone and pick it up. We still have some second printings of part 1 (Batman 686) available, too, so you can get the whole thing at once!

But, no. Today, I'm going to talk about New Avengers #52. The quest for Earth's new sorcerer supreme continues, as Stephen Strange (formerly Dr. Strange) comes to the New Avengers (which now consist of Captain America (Formerly Bucky), Ronin (formerly Hawkeye), Ms. Marvel (formerly of the Mighty Avengers), Wolverine (formerly not in 70 comics a month), Spider-Man (formerly had an identity even the Avengers couldn't remember), Luke Cake (Formerly wore a tiara and a yellow disco shirt), Spider-Woman (formerly abducted by Skrulls), and Mockingbird (formerly dead)) to explain where he's been, and about his recent run-in with Parker Robbins, a.k.a. The Hood.

The Hood, in addition to creating a criminal syndicate the size of which has never been seen in the Marvel U, has taken up as the host for some big bad demon (which I learned from the dialogue, since Chris Bachalo's artwork mostly just looks like a muddles mess of black globs, these days -- Good thing he's only drawing the demon scenes, with Billy Tan drawing everything else), and is looking for the Eye of Agamotto (the mystic amulet dealio that is the property of Earth's Sorcerer Supreme). But ol' Stevie Strange won't give up the Eye to just anybody - He's lookin' for the next Sorcerer Supreme, and won't rest until he finds that individual.

So, of course, the Avengers take a trip with Dr. Strange, because they're out looking for The Hood, and think that the team of them can take out The Hood. Even though he's more powerful than Dr. Strange. I don't see that ending well for anybody. Meanwhile, Madame Masque reveals her face to The Hood, and then they start making out. I'm not sure I see THAT ending well for anybody, either.

I think there may be some misdirection at the end, as the Hood finds another magic user we haven't seen in a while, but it's a character that I'm pretty sure is not in the running to be Earth's Sorcerer Supreme...

Still, if you're reading New Avengers, #52 is a worthy addition to your collection. It's been really nice having a comic written by the same guy for more than a year, and other than Chris Bachalo, the artwork has consistently been top-notch. After all, it's like Ultra Magnus taught us back in 1986: "Consistency is victory."

Amazing Spider-Man 590+591

So, for those you who have been keeping track, Spider-Man is going to hit issue 600 in July. And, way back when, Marvel said that that will bring a wrap-up to the "Brand New Day" world that Spidey's currently living in. And after about 50 issues of uncertainty, it looks like they're taking steps in the right direction.

Spidey and the Fantastic Four go on an adventure to another universe, and during the battle, Human Torch remembers that he used to know Spider-Man's secret identity, and he's miffed that he can't remember.

Meanwhile, because time travels differently in this alternate world, Pete loses 2 months of time in the regular Marvel Earth-616.

I'm not going to pussyfoot around here: the story that actually takes place in the alternate world isn't all that interesting. The reason this story exists is to get the FF to remember that Peter and Spidey are the same person, and to have Reed Richards create a macguffin device that allows the FF to remember that Petey = Spidey but not reveal that information, even if they get brainwashed or psychically attacked or whatever. So Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben all know Pete's secret, but there's no worries about the secret leaking past them.

Along with the reveal in New Avengers #51 (which lead to the best Jessica Jones moment in New Av., but only if you read all of Alias... which you totally should, by the way), it looks like things in Spidey's world are beginning to go back to normal. People who should know do, and everybody else has forgotten. Which is probably closer to how it should be.

And what was up with that answering machine message that included the word "Tiger" before getting cut off? Hmmm...

I can't wait for Amazing #600. But, this month's Previews shows that Menace will be back in #598 and she's... pregnant? Whaaaat?

Young Liars: Daydream Believer

Young Liars: Daydream Believer TPB
Collects issues 1-6
$9.99
Vertigo

This is quite possibly one of the most insane comics I have ever read.

Danny Noonan is a young, would-be guitarist who comes from a poor family in Texas. Upon meeting the beautiful Sadie Dawkins, he immediately falls head over heels for her, and will stop at nothing to have her. Early in their relationship, Sadie has had a bullet lodged in her brain, which turns her into a hyperactive maniac, which causes her to always want to be getting in fights, have sex with Danny, go water skiing on a cruise liner, or anything that will get her adrenaline flowing.

But that's not the craziest part.

The duo meet up with a gang of other youngsters, including a millionaire who is always in need of money, a former teenage model who is bitter at the world because somebody once told her she was fat, a young woman whose goal in life is to have the children of a rock star, and a transvestite junkie that everybody loves. And through a series of misfortunes, the six all end up heading to Europe to find some hidden treasure.

But that's not the craziest part.

Sadie is the daughter of a psychotic owner of a convenience store chain, who wishes that his son would impregnate his daughter, because they would make beautiful babies. And he's stopping at nothing to get Sadie back, so that her brother can continue raping her.

But that's not the craziest part.

Danny constantly lies. Sadie, who is crazy because of the bullet in her brain, only does whatever Danny tells her to. Annie X (the former model) and Runco (the broke millionaire) are willing to sell Sadie out to her derranged father. Big C (the groupie) believes that she's Sadie's best friend, but forgets that Sadie is nuts. And by the end of the first TPB (issue 6), there are at least four definite deaths (one via decapitation), a handful of possible deaths, and one of the characters experiences --to put it nicely -- genital mutilation.

I've never read any of David Lapham's other work, but I'm certainly interested in reading the rest of Young Liars, and looking into the other comics he's put out (Stray Bullets, Silverfish, 30 Days of Night: 30 Days 'til Death, et cetera). His art is solid throughout, and things happen to the main characters that just don't happen to the main characters in comics. I have no idea what's going to happen next, but I'm definitely going to be checking out the rest of the series... And for ten bucks? You should at least check out this first TPB.