On occasion, I buy whole series of books without reading them. You might be thinking, "What? Why? That's a lot of money on an admittedly huge gamble." You're 100% right - it absolutely is. You see, I'm easily suckered into the glitz and glamour of things like "Deluxe Edition" this or "Absolute" that. If you're a publisher releasing an acclaimed series I've never read in a fancy oversized format with a high price tag.. well, you're going to appeal to the avid collector in me. I'm just so weak willed sometimes!

That's why, when I saw it some time ago in a store, I bought the Gotham Central Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 hardcover and did not read it until two weeks ago. I decided that this is a story I wanted to opportunity to read all at once, so I patiently waited for the final fourth volume to come out before cracking the cover and reading it (I'll admit, I peeked inside a couple times). And two weeks ago just happened to be my "once a year mega vacation", so you better believe I sat and read the entire 40 issue series throughout the week while in the comfort of sun rays while poolside with a nice cup of some kind of slushy, sugary alcohol. And by the time I finished, I had found what is arguably my second favorite Batman story of all time.

Take a look behind the cut for some thoughts on why it should be yours, too.

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Written by Dan Slott and Fred Van Lente
Penciled by Stefano Caselli

CLASSIFIED!

(That's the actual solicitation according to Marvel.com, but, um, I don't know, I guess the cover more or less says it all? Like, Spider-Man is a member of the Future Foundation, and they're doing Future Foundation stuff. Also, other characters do other things. And per the banner on top, yes, there is apparently a road to Spider-Island, although one would think that that would require some kind of bridge, because, I mean, it's an island. -Patrick)

In this issue of FF, the guest-starring Spider-Man -- I mean, wait, no, let me start again. After the jump.

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Uncanny X-Men
Written by Kieron Gillen
Illustrated by Terry and Rachel Dodson

When the X-Men left the militaristic alien Breakworld, its political structure was reduced to ashes. It didn't stay that way forever. Now a warship is crossing the gulf of space, with a mission that will strike the lives of star-crossed lovers Colossus and Kitty Pryde with all the force of a meteor. Join them as they discover what the vessel them means for them, mutantkind and the rest of the Earth.

X-Men
Written by Victor Gischler
Penciled by Chris Bachalo and Paco Medina

The X-Men and Spider-Man have made their way through the New York City sewers only to be overwhelmed by a legion of bloodthirsty reptilian monsters. Now they've been captured and turned into mindless creatures themselves with only Spider-Man and Emma Frost left unscathed. Can this unlikely pair work together long enough to restore the X-Men and defeat their mysterious opponent? Or will they too join the ranks of the Lizard X-Men?

This week, we get two issues of the three flagship titles featuring Earth's Mightiest Mutants, and it's interesting how different they are -- and how similar. So without further ado, after the jump let's open them up and poke around at that.

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Marvel had been teasing this one for a little while now, but tonight the news finally dropped: Marvel's latest MMO is coming soon.

At the helm of the project is acclaimed writer Brian Bendis, who has recently extended his writing career above and beyond the comic book world to also include that of Marvel Studios and Marvel animation, let alone some other projects we probably don't know about. The game is going to be created by Dave Brevick and Andy Collins, designers from Gazillion at Sony. The main villain of the story will be Doctor Doom, and the game will allow players to take on the roles of actual Marvel heroes as they play/fight through various re-imagined events in the Marvel U.

And the best part? It's all free.

The worst part is that right now it's for PC only. That's kind of a drag (I say as I write on my cool MacBook Pro in front of my XBOX and Playstation). But hey, they'll probably expand beyond that at some point, right? I'm sure Marvel will allow me to have my dream of playing Forbush Man.

Look for more info on this as soon as we can find it.

(via source)

DC and Warner Brothers have been putting out Green Lantern character posters all week teasing their new film and the wide cast it will have, both of humans and CGI aliens. To top it all of, they ended their digi-dump with a banner featuring 7 brand new Lanterns and a group shot of everyone having a nice dramatic pow-wow as they stare off into nothingness.

So I suppose we'll ask the same question everyone's asking: can you name them all? Besides the obviously recognizable, we've got Boodika, Salaak, Stel, and Laira. However I'm a bit lost on the three on the right. Anyone out there know?

(via source)

So it appears that everyone's favorite magician, John Constantine, is back. Well, he's never really been gone, but in recent years Constantine's involvement with the DC Universe has been very, very limited. Now, though, it appears that the Laughing Magician will soon be making his return to the world of brightly-colored capes and tights — and in a Brightest Day tie-in, no less. That's cool, I guess, but I think the protagonist of Vertigo's longest running title deserves a bit more than a supporting role in a wrap-up for a more or less critically-panned superhero story.

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Written by Grant Morrison
Penciled by Yanick Paquette

Batman's Argentinean adventure concludes as The Dark Knight and Gaucho fight to the death to save the lives of countless innocents. Meanwhile, England's other Batman, The Hood, stumbles across a monstrous conspiracy – can Batman and his international allies stop a plot that threatens to transform the whole world?

There are a lot of things going on with Batman Incorporated this month, and a few of them even have to do with what's right there on the page! As we finish off the second arc of Batman's world tour of learning how to say "a cowardly and superstitious lot" in every dialect on the globe, questions arise regarding the proper way to read this series in the context of Grant Morrison's favorite games and stylistic tics. If that interests you as much as it interested me to ramble about it, well, you know where to click.

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Traditionally on Multiversity, Battle Reviews were those in which two of our members sat down and hashed out their thoughts on a title. However, seeing as those days are behind us, I am repurposing the title with a new intention. You see, today marks the end of two year long stories that sought to have a tremendous impact on the DCU: Justice League: Generation Lost, and Brightest Day. And boy, have these two titles split the fans.

Now, I as a reviewer have made it no great secret that I thoroughly enjoy one while consistently deride the other. We fans are nothing if not opinionated, and those opinions are often very hardwired and hard to change. However, just as we're coming off a duo of articles about Comic Book Addiction, I'd be remiss not to note that I stuck with Brightest Day through 25 issues, despite my lack of enthusiasm. Generation Lost was an altogether pleasant experience on the other hand, even if I can't help but note that one of the big "secrets" of the book left me wanting more.

So - two titles. Two finales. Two opinions. Only one can stand as the DC Event of the Year. Can Brightest Day, the underdog, tie up it's story well enough to take home the gold? Or will Booster Gold and the Justice League International become DC's new title to beat?

Find out after the cut. As a note, spoilers are discussed.

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Written by Paul Cornell and guests
Illustrated by Pete Woods, Jesus Marino, and guests

Superman returns to ACTION COMICS just in time for the title's historic 900th issue, which clocks in at 100 pages! Everything Paul Cornell and Pete Woods have been building to over the last year culminates here in the ultimate Superman vs. Lex Luthor battle! But that's not all - this story will lay the grounds for an insanely epic story coming out this summer in the pages of ACTION!

Plus, an incredible roster of guest talent help us celebrate this landmark issue, including the screenwriter of The Dark Knight, David Goyer; famed Superman: The Movie director Richard Donner; the co-creator of Lost, Damon Lindelof; and the creative team behind the hit DC UNIVERSE ONLINE game!

While it's not quite 100 pages, this is one powerhouse of an anniversary issue. Not only is there an oversized finale to Cornell's first Action Comics story, it's also the true beginning of the Reign of Doomsday - and more. Guests galore are to be found in this issue, both timely and of spiritual tribute, making the 900th issue of the first superhero comic ever a true landmark.

But despite it's obvious marketability, is it a good issue? Find out after the cut. As a note, mild spoilers are discussed.

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Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrated by Bryan Hitch

START READING with this Point One Issue! Prepare for the upcoming high-stakes Avengers event with a battle between the Avengers and the Intelligencia, the return of SWORD, and the dissapearance of Spider-Woman!. Bendis and modern master Bryan Hitch Join forces for this very special, all-new Avengers story that is not only an explosive action-packed self-contained thriller but a prologue to an Avengers saga that will rock the entire Marvel Universe next year. Guest starring the New and Secret Avengers!

Hold on a second. Bryan Hitch? Back on interiors for the first time in a year? You never fully notice how much you miss an artist's wonderful interiors until you don't see them for quite some time, so with that little detail selling me on a comic that I admit I would have bought anyway, how did the Avengers .1 fit into Marvel's Point One initiative?

Find out after the cut.

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IDW Publishing Press Release

IDW Publishing and Frozen Beach Studios today announced the launch of the latest supernatural thriller comedy by Frozen Beach, entitled THE POUND. Created by Stephan Nilson and Charles Pritchett, THE POUND will be available digitally, and a collection of the entire five-issue series will be released in September 2011. To introduce readers to this exciting new series, THE POUND #1 is currently available for free through the IDW Comics iPad and iPhone app and will be available through the Sony Digital Comics store for PSP on June 1, 2011. Additionally, Frozen Beach Studios is also hosting the free Issue #1 of THE POUND on their Web site at www.frozenbeachstudios.com/pound. Here, the comic can be downloaded as a PDF or CBZ.

Rated five out of five stars by Kitty’s Pryde, THE POUND follows Cleveland Animal Control Specialists Scott Allison and Howard Lynch, who have lost their jobs due to budget cuts and decide to start their own private stray animal retrieval business. At first it’s business as usual – retrieving a mother raccoon and her newborn litter from a crawlspace or removing bats from basements – but everything changes the night they receive a call about a large dog running loose in the halls of the high school.

“Being an advocate for digital comics, with over 70% of my monthly pull list in that format, I felt it was time to back my words with action,” stated Stephan Nilson, writer and co-creator of THE POUND. “Everyone working on THE POUND wanted to deliver a top-notch, original content comic series digitally first. Doing it through IDW Publishing's store front, with its wide reach, is the perfect place to distribute our book to the world.”

For the full press release, please check behind the cut

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Dark Horse Press Release

Earlier today, Dark Horse’s iOS app and digital store went online and opened for business! Even after extensive load testing, demand for Dark Horse digital comics was still too high for our servers! Thousands of fans rushed to download our digital comics, resulting in intermittent service outages.

The Dark Horse Comics iOS digital app is now available for free download in the iTunes store and comes loaded with the first full issue of Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. While we are still working on a native Android app, any device with a modern web browser can be used to read Dark Horse comics at Digital.DarkHorse.com.

Thanks to fans who signed up for our Dark Horse Digital newsletter, full first issues of Criminal Macabre, Abe Sapien: The Drowning, The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, Mass Effect: Redemption, and Joss Whedon’s Fray are available in the digital store for free.

Other free comics available today include:

Beasts of Burden #1
Conan #0: Conan the Legend
Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom/Magnus, Robot Fighter (FCBD 2010)
Dungeon Siege III #1
Falling Skies #1, #2, and #3
Grendel: Behold the Devil #1
Kull: The Shadow Kingdom #1
Solomon Kane #1
Solomon Kane: Death’s Black Riders #1
The Terminator: Death Valley #0 and #1
The Terminator: 2029 #1
The Umbrella Academy #0

Thank you for your patience and support of Dark Horse Digital!

If you've been keeping up with our blog, you might have noticed some coverage on a little Image book called "Undying Love." We interviewed the creators at WonderCon, and we enjoyed the book in a review of issue #1. The book, about a guy trying to save the love of his life from a powerful Chinese vampire, sold out its first issue, and with how well it was received on this site, I can imagine this issue will be no different. But in the mean time, here's an exclusive preview of the next issue.

Behind the cut are five pages of the second issue, out May 11th from Image Comics!

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Late again -- becoming a trend whenever I get to Image stuff. You know, though, I tried, for this one. I really tried. It was all supposed to be so simple. A big crossover of the WildStorm universe's properties, pre-DC. Alan Moore and Warren Ellis scripts. Some of their key artists, too: Jim Lee. J. Scott Campbell. Brett Booth. I should have been able to find something to say and knock this out in my sleep. And then, well... I actually sat down and tried to read it. Find out more about this personal Comics Vietnam after the jump.

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Hello and welcome back to Morning Glory Academy Study Hall! In this column, MC contributor (and TV Overmind writer/FuckYeahLost's head honcho) Crit Obara and I sit down and analyze the latest issue of Morning Glories. Now we're back for issue #9 - the Jun issue!

So join Crit and I after the cut as we discuss the issue, it's story and possible hidden secrets that we may or may not be picking up on. We should also note: this discussion contains massive spoilers for the issue. Colossal. Ginormous, even. The issue is out today, so make sure to read it first before you read our thoughts. It helps to give the issue a few read throughs before coming to us, but consider this your warning about impending spoilers.

Also, we know we slacked a little bit, but we still plan to bring you the first six issues soon, and look forward to our issue #10 discussion in May.

As always, our very lovely/supremely awesome column header was designed by the graphic designer for the actual book, Tim Daniel! For more of Tim's work, please visit his site Hidden Robot. Many thanks to Tim for being fantastically awesome and providing it to us.

Previous issues: #7, #8

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I think those of you who are fans of the comic book are probably thinking, "... wait, what?"

Yes, you read that correctly. The Walking Dead is getting a series of companion novels, outlined by Robert Kirkman and actually scripted by Jay Bonansinga. The first book in the series is titled The Rise Of The Governor, telling the story of the infamous villain from the Walking Dead that - to put it lightly - ruined everything.

The official synopsis is as follows:

In The Walking Dead universe, there is no greater villain than The Governor. The despot who runs the walled-off town of Woodbury, he has his own sick sense of justice: whether it’s forcing prisoners to battle zombies in an arena for the townspeople’s amusement, or chopping off the appendages of those who cross him. The Governor was voted “Villain of the Year” by Wizard Magazine the year he debuted, and his story arc was the most controversial arc in the history of The Walking Dead comic book series. Now, for the first time, fans of The Walking Dead will discover how The Governor became the man he is, and what drove him to such extremes.

The book will run 320 pages and hits stores September 27th. That's a lot of pages to devote to a murderous psychopathic rapist! But hey, it's entertainment, right?

(via source)

I feel like I say this every week, but we have a big, big week ahead of us. I guess despite how much I may complain about certain things in the industry, it's a good time to be a fan of comics. Don't tell anyone I said that. Follow the cut for this week's lists!

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Marvel Press Release


Death of Spider-Man, he story that everyone from ABC to MTV and FOX News are talking about, reaches its stunning conclusion this June and, to commemorate this momentous issue, superstar Joe Quesada illustrates an all-new variant cover! This powerful piece, from Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer, arrives in two different versions—the full color Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #160 Quesada Variant and the raw, penciled version for Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #160 Quesada Sketch Variant.

It’s the biggest story in Ultimate Comics history—and it all ends in Ultimate Spider-Man #160. No fan can miss out on the story that’ll have fans around the world talking for years!

Retailers, please note that this issue FOCs 5/9/11, with an on-sale of 6/22/11

A long time ago, we talked with Skullkickers creator Jim Zubkavitch, who told us that the plan for Skullkickers was to make sure that they had full stories done before releasing the issues as to avoid excessive delays. Now, after a short kickers, Skullkickers is back with issue #7 next month - and you can pre-order it now!

If you go to your local store today (seeing as it is Wednesday, after all), you can grab yourself a copy of the trade - six whole issues - for only $9.99. While you're at it, use the code above to make sure your store will have a copy!

Thanks to the quotes on the above image, I'm sure you realize that it's worth the purchase. Right? You do see which one I'm talking about, correct? We wouldn't lie to you.

IDW Publishing Press Release

IDW Publishing and Gearbox have joined forces to bring “The King” to comics for the very first time, in DUKE NUKEM: GLORIOUS BASTARD. An integral part of the massive Duke Nukem relaunch happening in June with the long-awaited release of the Duke Nukem Forever video game, this four-issue series will kick off in July and bring all the awesome battles and babes (and beers!) that Duke fans have wanted for more than a decade. Rising comics and video game writer Tom Waltz (Silent Hill: Past Life, Ghostbusters: Sanctum of Slime) pens DUKE NUKEM: GLORIOUS BASTARD, while artist Xermanico fills every panel with non-stop fun and action. Waltz and Xermanico are also the brains and brawn behind the special Duke Nukem Forever one-shot pack-in comic, which is featured in the Duke Nukem Forever: Balls of Steel special edition game boxset.

“I know plenty of fans have been asking for it and we’re excited to finally bring it to ‘em,” said David Eddings, Vice President of Business Development at Gearbox Software. “Duke will be in some of the most insane action-packed stories that will show fans a whole new side of the one and only King. That’s the marketing-speak for saying it’s gonna f&#king rock!”

Debuting in July with issue #1, DUKE NUKEM: GLORIOUS BASTARD combines time-traveling Nazi UFOs, space pigs, and a hot French Resistance babe code-named the “French Tickler,” as they all run head-on into Duke Nukem. It’s an action-packed and mayhem-filled collision course in the making, and for some of them (the ones that don’t look good in bikinis, that is), it’s gonna end painfully.

For the full press release, please check behind the cut

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Image Press Release

The battle for New San Diego will begin this July for just $1 when Image Comics and Benaroya Publishing introduce MARKSMAN! This new six-issue miniseries will feature the action-packed story of Dave Baxter, an acclaimed new writer/producer who is making his comics debut with such experienced comic book artists as Javiar Aranda (Star Trek), Garry Leach (Marvelman), and Tomm Coker (UNDYING LOVE).

MARKSMAN begins sixty years after the nation's oil supply has finally run out and debts have been called in, resulting in a civil war that has splintered America into warring fiefdoms. New San Diego is a technocratic utopia that offers the last bastion of peace and prosperity, provided you live within its walls. Drake McCoy is its best protector. McCoy, an expert marksman, defends the city from the numerous threats in the wasteland outside the walls. But when the oil rich Lone Star state sends a powerful army to steal New San Diego’s energy technology, even Drake’s leadership and skill may not be enough to fend off the siege.

This action-packed series contrasts the classic taste of a western against the harsh backdrop of a post-apocalyptic future. With the first issue debuting just in time for San Diego Comic Con, including a SDCC exclusive variant cover, this is one comic you won’t want to miss! Watch as San Diego experiences a battle the likes of which you could never have imagined.

For the full press release, please check behind the cut

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We figure it might help to let you guys know what's coming out this week in comics, so welcome to our weekly feature! Our reviews come out tomorrow, so be sure to look over this list to get a preview of what we may or may not be reviewing tomorrow. We've added all of our own personal recommendations into this list as well, so be on the look out for bolded titles. Whenever you see one of those, it means we think you should be reading it. So keep your eyes open!

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Over Easter Weekend, Bryan Fuller gave fans something they've been looking forward to for a long time: the first glimpse at the Pushing Daisies comic book, in real color!

Fans of the series will remember this as the little series that almost could, having been cancelled, renewed, and cancelled again due to poor ratings. However, it's charm and quirkiness has lasted with fans much beyond the series finale, all of whom have longed for some kind of proper resolution to some of the mysteries that never fully wrapped up. Right off the bat there are two images here that are quite exciting to see, even aside from the return of the Pie Maker, his dead girlfriend, and Emerson Cod.

For spoiler purposes, I will not explain any of those, and instead implore you to go buy the DVDs if you haven't already, because it's arguably one of the best shows that just never got it's chance to shine. However, the above image - the first revealed page of the book - should serve as a significant tease both to fans that know what the images mean, and to those who have not experienced the show and are curious about things to look out for.

Either way, look forward to those book from - if memory serves - DC at some point later this year.

(via source)

Some of you may remember a Hellboy one-shot detailing his adventures in Mexico. It was a story we at MC particularly enjoyed, with David giving it a whopping 9.8 out of 10. Now, with The Fury coming soon and an ongoing series to follow, Mignola has announced over at CBR that he and Richard Corben will be returning to Mexico for the first ever original graphic novel in the Hellboy series: House of the Living Dead.

The book ships in the fall and is a direct follow-up to the Mexico story. Mignola says that although the Mexico one-shot was originally intended to be just that, he ended up playing with the idea that Hellboy may or may not actually remember extended adventures due to the amount of time he spent in Mexico drunk, so this story would elaborate on these stories that the character might be hesitant to tell. There will also be a Dark Horse Presents tale that ties in with the overall Mexico saga.

The book will open with Hellboy as a luchador as we saw at the end of the Mexico one-shot, where he gets hired to get into the hijinx that have kept us repeatedly reading Hellboy for so many years now. Mignola describes the new book as "sort of a Mexican version of one of those Universal "House of Dracula," "House of Frankenstein" kind of movies", with a variety of creatures and events that go by pretty quickly.

So look forward to this in the Fall, the Fury starting next month, and the Hellboy ongoing next year.

(via source)

Joss Whedon's Avengers film has officially begun shooting! Our four heroes have all been given their intro films, and now it's time for the Avengers to unite with Nick Fury to fight some evil villains. Which evil villains? Well, there are rumors of Skulls flying around (although that seems high unlikely for the first film), but it is yet to be seen. Who knows? Maybe it'll be a bit like Mark Millar's Ultimates, considering Fury is played by Sam Jackson.

Either way, the above shot from the set has been released, and it's quite thrilling for fans to see that after years of dreaming of a franchise like this, we're getting it. So muse on the above photo all you want, make it your desktop background, and just imagine how many pop-culture references our heroes will be slinging around in Whedon's revised script.

There's one more detail that has been leaked from the production, but it is technically a spoiler, so for those of you who - like me - abhor spoilers, I've whited the text out for you (saving you from the mental groans I had to go through). So, for those interested: Loki will be appearing in the film. It's not a huge spoiler, and those of you who know your history know why that makes sense. Still, it might have helped for certain sites to reign in their discussion for those of us who haven't seen Thor and don't want to read Thor spoilers. Just saying. (As a note, this whole paragraph is gleaned from info I read at the source article, so if you're anti-spoiler, don't click the link.)

(via source)

Image Press Release

The first issue of Image Comics' grisly new zombie comic, '68, has impressed ravenous horror fans so much that the first printing sold out at the distribution level right as copies were hitting the shelves. In an effort to provide comic shops with uninterrupted availability of this gruesome new miniseries, a second printing of '68 will return to stores soon with an all new cover by artist Nat Jones.

'68 originally began as a one shot which can be found in HORROR BOOK, VOL. 1 TP, an anthology that also contains other horror titles such as CREATURE FROM THE DEPTHS, FRANKENSTEIN, and FULL MOON.

The first issue of the new '68 miniseries delves straight away into the base camps, dark jungles and tunnels of Vietnam in 1968, where writer Mark Kidwell (Bump) guides doomed young soldiers among the countless rotting undead victims of war. Artist Nat Jones (FRANK FRAZETTA'S DEATH DEALER) illustrates the fine details of decomposition and Jay Fotos (LOCKE & KEY, SPAWN) provides expert coloring, including plenty of bloody red gore!

For the full press release, please check behind the cut

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You guys demanded it, and we listened! Spoiler Alert is back, and believe us - it is better than ever.

We're a day late, but hopefully not a dollar short! We hope you enjoyed last week's Scott Snyder chat, and today we bring you a brand new conversation with everyone's favorite Mike Carey! Topic's of discussion include X-Men: Legacy and New Mutants, Sigil, and the Unwritten!

So take a little listen below and be sure to a) subscribe on iTunes for automatic updates to the show and b) tell all your friends, because this is going to be the best comic podcast on the entire internet!

So last week my M101 co-writer, the esteemed Joshua Mocle, took a bit of IM conversation between us and used it to springboard an interesting look at Comics Addiction (the actual existence of which is a little dubious in my mind). I figured this week I could share my side of things. For posterity, here’s that snippet of conversation again:

JM: Marvel is fucking with me personally, and I am not amused. Seven double shipping books (in June??) Seriously??

RC: So you get more good books/month, and?

JM: My wallet isn't made of money!

RC: So drop some books, no one is forcing you to buy anything.

JM: I did, I dropped a lot of books, and then all the books I can't drop double ship.

RC: "can't"

JM: Don't pull that card with me asshole, you know full well there's addiction and completionism on the table here. Its not as strong in me as it is with others, but it is there.

RC: It's still a choice.

JM: Barely.

RC: It's not fucking heroin.

JM: Yes, true, but addiction is addiction.

I definitely believe that there are psychological addictions. For example, people can definitely be addicted to gambling, shopping and video games. That said I’m not sure that comics fit into that realm. Do people make a habit of buying comics? Sure. Do people maybe even have some compulsion to keep up with it? Sure! Are people going to lose jobs, loved ones and family members because they go to the comic shop every Wednesday and spend too much on comics? I’m not so sure.

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Today on The Short Report, we examine some of the news that came from the casting of the new Superman movie, Man of Steel. Namely, Michael Shannon cast as General Zod. The title may be a bit telling as to what I thought of it, but check my thoughts behind the cut!

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Well, look Who's back? (Ha ha!) It's been a few months (since the christmas Carol, which I forgot to review and apologize for) but the Doctor has returned - and he's brought a big ol' mess with him to boot. You didn't think that journeying to America would be as simple as hopping on a plane and grabbing a cowboy hat, did you?

Take a look behind the cut for some thoughts on the season premiere as we welcome the Doctor to America (and get to stop hopping on a plane to Britain once a week to watch the episode before flying back to America to review it the next day).

As a note, there are some mild spoilers, but nothing so big as to completely ruin the episode for you. That being said, you should probably watch it first.

Also, normally we'd run a picture from the episode with this review - but Francesco Francavilla's piece (seen to the left) was too fantastic not to share).

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BOOM! Studios Press Release

BOOM! Studios is excited to announce that PLANET OF THE APES #1 is sold out...days before release! Fans everywhere have been buzzing with Apes-mania since the recent unveiling of the RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES movie trailer, leading comic book retailers to make a phenomenal amount of late-breaking advanced reorders for BOOM! Studios' PLANET OF THE APES #1 and creating this unprecedented pre-release sell out!

BOOM! Studios will be working closely this week with Diamond Comic Distributors and Haven Distributors in evaluating demand for a second printing.

While BOOM! Studios, Diamond Comic Distributors and Haven Distributors are sold out of PLANET OF THE APES #1, comic shops across the nation will have the first printing of PLANET OF THE APES #1 this Wednesday, April 27, 2011 available for sale. So make sure you get a copy before it's gone! Don't know where to find your nearest comic shop? Please use http://www.comicshoplocator.com/.

For the full press release, please check behind the cut

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Written by Geoff Johns/Tony Bedard
Illustrated by Doug Mahnke and Keith Champagne/Tyler Kirkham

GL#65: The "War of the Green Lanterns" takes a shocking turn! With the entire Green Lantern Corps against them, the four Earthborn GLs make a choice that will rank among the most memorable in GL history. But not all of them agree on what has to be done and what lines are to be crossed. Plus, the countdown to the live-action film continues with another exclusive look at the upcoming GREEN LANTERN movie!

GLC#59: As "War of the Green Lanterns" rages, Hal, Guy, John and Kyle fight on—but standing in their way is Kilowog, Salaak and all their comrades. Are they prepared to hurt their friends in order to save the Corps?

I don't think I've been very shy with my general dislike of the output in the Lantern realm of DC as of late. Blackest Night through Brightest Day has been a disappointment in my eyes, and I haven't really cared for any of the storylines in any of the three main Lantern titles. However, I've read them all for so long that I might as well keep plugging along, right? At least for a little while longer anyway, depending how this storyline wraps up.

So with that in mind, take a look beyond the cut to see some thoughts on this week's Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps.

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Everyone else already took the big-name good ones, so let's jaunt over to the UK and poke into a dark day-glo corner of things. After the jump, that is -- we can't get ahead of ourselves.

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Ok, so Swamp Thing is back as of Brightest Day #23. At this point, if you're a Swamp Thing fan, you may cheer as loud as you like. And Swamp Thing, like Death, is the second Vertigo character to be reintegrated into DCU proper, which is an initiative that DC plans to implement more and more throughout the coming year(s).

Now, according to a report from "right almost every single time" Bleeding Cool, John Constantine - a character introduced in Swamp Thing by Alan More - is supposedly going to be joining the DCU proper. Where? Post-Flashpoint somewhere (so maybe, possibly, in Flashpoint somewhere too).

This... well, really makes sense, in all honesty. DC just put out a new vol. 1 for Hellblazer, and Constantine has interacted with DCU characters before (Zatanna, Phantom Stranger, Batman, Guy Gardener). It's really not that far off that he'd join up with the DCU now that Swamp Thing is roaming around in it.

Of course, what this means for Hellblazer - now at it's 278th issue as of this week - is uncertain, but hopefully nothing will happen to it.

UPDATE: Andy Diggle has all but flat out said Constantine will join the DCU this morning in a tweet reading:

Me, Delano, Lloyd & Milligan on a Hellblazer panel this Saturday. We'll see how the audience feels about JC going DCU: http://t.co/wD6iZRW

Of course, now that we know that Constantine will be back, we can make some assumptions - take a look at the cover to The Search For Swamp Thing:
Who else thinks the silhoutted character is John, now? I know I certainly do after fellow writer Walter Richardson incepted the idea into my brain. It would make PERFECT sense. The series, written by Jonathan Vankin, has the following solicit:

Following the events of Brightest Day, the new protector of Earth has been chosen. But one reluctant hero making his return to the DCU is trying to convince Batman, Superman and the others heroes of the DC Universe that this may not be a good thing, because he can see that things are not right and mankind's brightest days are indeed over.

A reluctant hero making his return, huh DC? Ok. We see what you did there.

(via source)

Smallville is in it's last season and is wrapping up to the final confrontation between Superman and Darkseid. And when I say Superman, I literally mean Superman - because it looks like Clark will finally be ditching his regular clothes and putting on that suit everyone knows him for.

Maybe, anyway.

In the upcoming episode "Prophecy", writtnen by Bryan Q Miller (Batgirl), Clark takes Lois to the Fortress of Solitude, in which we see (in the above screencap) the famous suit finally being shown. There are tons of rumors/spoilers flying around in the internet that the suit will be worn in the finale itself (as well as apparently a phonebooth costume change?), so fans who have been waiting for Clark to finally take that leap and acknowledge his true future should look forward to that.

This week's episode is "Booster", written by Geoff Johns, with "Prophecy" to air next week (May 6th).

(via source)

I don't know a lot of people who personally watch Smallville, and those I do can't watch it without making fun of it excessively (our own Gilbert Short told me he couldn't review the show anymore because it was too hard to say something nice about it) - but I can't say that I'm not interested in the finale a little bit, if only to see Darkseid appear.

Written by Rick Remender
Penciled by Billy Tan

A nuclear facility has been infiltrated and taken over by the Shadow King! With nuclear missiles now aimed at both Utopia and New York, the lives of Earth's heroes hang in the balance. X-Force heads into action, but to save the world, they must make a terrible choice. In order to prevent a nuclear holocaust, Wolverine and his team must kill every last person working in the facility. X-Force can save the day, but at what cost?

You know, I was excited about doing this one until I saw that it was a Psylocke spotlight issue. Really! Nothing against Psylocke, but as a character she's become such a convoluted, self-referential mess that putting her backstory at the fore gives any comic book a more than fair chance of turning into a hideous car wreck. So do Rick Remender and Billy Tan pull it off? Let's talk about it after the jump.

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Written by Jeff Parker
Penciled by Kev Walker

Lines are drawn and secrets are revealed as the darkly PROVING GROUND sets off. The Raft is full of action as candidates vie for selection on the second squad of Thunderbolts, BETA TEAM! The main team isn't too happy about Warden Walker's initiative to expand their ranks, but even they are curious: out of the Marvel Universe vast pool of powerhouse criminals, who will make the cut? Many are called, but in this issue few are chosen!

This issue, Jeff Parker and Kev Walker's Thunderbolts ease into a bit of a slow stretch -- intentionally, of course, as they lay the groundwork for "Beta Team," the next great idea that will almost certainly explode in Luke Cage's face. But in a book where the principal cast are already getting a bit cramped when it comes to subplot space, is introducing an entire second team really a smart move? Let's ruminate more on this after the jump.

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Written by David Lapham
Illustrated by Kyle Baker

They say women change after marriage. They say they stop caring about their looks and stop cooking meals and stop cleaning your socks. They say they change their hair color and their name and start lying about their whereabouts and sleeping with rich men and killing them and making deals to sell state secrets with terrorists and stop wearing perfume. They say all that, but Deadpool never thought it would happen to him. He never thought his new life as a non-killing dad would start out so blissfully and end up like this -- with his wife having all the fun and him at home taking care of a screaming baby, wondering when its batteries will run out. Can Deadpool pull his life back together, save his marriage, and stop the spread of the deadly Liquid X? Probably not, but one out of three ain't bad.

I'll admit it -- I tried a couple times, and just couldn't get into Deadpool MAX. I didn't know if it was the writing, or the art, or if I just didn't care that much about Deadpool anymore. Then, on a lark, I checked out #7, and something clicked. It all fell into place, and I was laughing myself sick. So what happened? Let's talk about it after the jump.

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BOOM! Studios Press Release

BOOM! Studios' bestselling Eisner & Harvey Award-nominated IRREDEEMABLE gets sensational father/son team Eduardo & Diego Barreto to take over art duties for fan-favorite artist Peter Krause beginning with IRREDEEMABLE #29!

“A true visionary that brought the amazing world of IRREDEEMABLE to life, Peter Krause will definitely be a hard act to follow, but I know this series is in great hands with the extremely talented Eduardo & Diego Barreto team!” says BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “Combining Eduardo's veteran skill with Diego's know how of the IRREDEEMABLE universe, fans will be happy to see this series maintain the highest level of artistic quality set by the great Peter Krause.”

“This is a classic bad news, good news scenario,” says BOOM! Studios Marketing Director Chip Mosher. “Peter Krause, a pioneer of the IRREDEEMABLE world and all-around upstanding guy, no longer joining us is the bad news. The good news? We couldn't have asked for a more amazing artist team than Eduardo & Diego Barreto! Decades of experience and talent accompany these two men and we could not be more elated about them taking over for Peter!”

For the full press release, please check behind the cut

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By now you've all seen the hilarious Marvel: What The? starring Isaiah Mustafa as Luke Cage. And you've probably, like me, imagined that he would make a pretty good live action Luke Cage too.

FINALLY.

Anyone who has peeped my avatar on this site - literally, since it's inception - has known that I rock the Magneto Was Right icon. It's one of my favorite images from my favorite comics, and I've always wanted to buy it as a t-shirt. Some people (Brandon Burpee) already have one, but poor and unfortunate souls like mine are left shirtless.

Until now.

Marvel's Agent M (Ryan Penagos) posted the following on his tumblr:

So, after posting this pic of my friend Nigel’s “Magneto Was Right” t-shirt, I nudged Mighty Fine Tees about producing an official version of the shirt. A week later, BOOM, it’s available. UNLIMITED POWER!

Unlimited power indeed! So if you, like me, think Magneto was right and want to wear it on a t-shirt,  get your own! It's a different logo than from the original Morrison comic, but beggars can't be choosers (or something like that, right?).

And yes, I have already ordered my copy, thank you for asking.

Written by Christos Gage
Penciled by Tom Raney

Korvac has defeated The Avengers... now the world's only hope lies with the students of the Avengers Academy, who have been grown to adults! With time manipulated, the team gets a glimpse of what the future might hold for them. For some it's a revelation...for others a life sentence! Can they overcome their personal demons and master unfamiliar abilities in time to defeat a foe powerful enough to conquer Earth's Mightiest Heroes? Find out in the book that Newsarama's Best Shots calls "one of the best Avengers books – and, for that matter, one of the best Marvel books – on the stands.

We've reached the end of Avengers Academy's freshman year, and the inevitable question arises: so why the hell have none of these kids gained the "freshman 15," anyway? Fortunately, though, Christos Gage and Tom Raney have other questions they can answer -- and ask -- in its stead. After the jump, let's talk about how life is always terrible, especially when you're a hero.

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Written by Matt Fraction
Illustrated by Salvador Larocca

FEAR ITSELF tie-in! Fear has spread across the land and has made its way to Broxton, Oklahoma. As the Broxton residents prepare for a major disaster, Iron Man and Stark Resilient head into action. On the eve of this cataclysmic event, the Armored Avenger will face many dangers, but the greatest danger of all will be facing Fear Itself in this tie-in to the biggest Marvel event ever!

Fear Itself is here! I don't know about the rest of you, but out of the two big summer events this year, this is the story that I personally am looking forward to the most. Having followed Fraction's career as a writer for quite some time now, it's pretty exciting to see him relatively in charge of the future of the Marvel Universe.

Of course, I wouldn't really be following him at Marvel at all if it weren't for a little book called Invincible Iron Man, which came out at literally the exact right time for me to get into the book. So considering that Fraction has duties over both Iron Man and the event, and this issue is solicited at a Fear Itself tie-in, it would seem that its time to let the hammers fall, right?

Find out after the cut.

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Written by Robert Kirkman
Illustrated by Jason Howard

ALL-NEW FROM ROBERT KIRKMAN & JASON HOWARD! This is where it begins!

The Evil Max Maximus wants to get to Inner-Earth! He wants the dinosaurs that live there! He wants the powerful DynOre mineral that originates there!

SUPER DINOSAUR and DEREK DYNAMO are the only ones who can stop him!

The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of a ten year-old kid and his best friend, a nine-foot tall Tyrannosaurus Rex who loves to play video games.

Has everyone here read Astounding Wolf-Man? I should hope so. Robert Kirkman's first collaboration with Jason Howard ended up in a rather quiet hit of a series, chronicling the adventures of a man thrust into an epic time-spanning battle between werewolves and vampires. It ended on a fairly high note all things considered, despite it's rather dubious open end (which saw partial resolution recently in Guarding The Globe!), but the series ending in the first place was ... well, not exactly what I wanted!

Of course, now the new collaboration between Kirkman and Howard is out - SUPER DINOSAUR! Having already proved to me that the duo are capable of carrying a story past humble beginnings and into a rather dynamic close, I'd say that picking up the new book from the two is .. well, the obvious choice, really.

Check past the cut for some of my thoughts on the first issue.

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Well, in case you didn't know, there is going to be a Batman: Year One animated film, adapting Frank Miller's famous Batman comic. And wouldn't you know it, the voice cast was announced today in an Exclusive over at Heat Vision - and we are, of course, retelling you that information now.

Bryan Cranston (who you should know from Breaking Bad, but probably know from Malcolm In The Middle) is playing Lt. Jim Gordon, while Ben McKenzie is playing Bruce Wayne/Batman. Eliza Dushku voices Catwoman, while Katee Sackhoff is Detective Sarah Essen, a Gordon love interest.
Additionally, Alex Rocco will be voicing crime lord Carmine Falcone. So, needless to say... this is kind of effortlessly impressive. Cranston as Gordon? Wow.

Based on a script by Tim Murphy and directed by Lauren Montgomery and Sam Liu, the Bruce Timm produced movie is set to be released straight to DVD in the fall after a July premiere at ComicCon.

(via source)

Image Press Release

REED GUNTHER, the creator-owned, all-ages adventure begins on June 1st, and the creators want you to take part in the fun! Join fans across the country at local comic book shops and order REED GUNTHER #1 for a chance to win an original page of art from the book!

By hanging a REED GUNTHER Wanted poster in their local comic shop (which can be printed out at www.reedgunther.com), fans will be entered into the contest for a chance to win an original page from issue #1 drawn by the series artist, Chris Houghton. Once the poster is displayed, fans can email a photo of themselves with the REED GUNTHER Wanted poster and send it to the creators at mail@reedgunther.com. The contest ends on April 28th, so be sure to visit your local shop soon!

Don’t know where the nearest comic book shop is? Visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com/ to find out!

“This is a really easy way to score some original artwork," said writer Shane Houghton. "Chris generously gives me a page after we complete an issue, and I tell you, nothing keeps you warmer in the winter than original artwork.”

For the full press release, please check behind the cut

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Dark Horse Press Release

One of the most eagerly anticipated programs in the history of Dark Horse is announced today, as the Dark Horse Digital app and store will launch in exactly one week.

As previously mentioned, the Dark Horse Comics iOS digital app will be available for free download in the iTunes store. The app will feature the first issue of Hellboy: Seed of Destruction already pre-loaded into your collection. Thanks to those fans who signed up for our Dark Horse Digital newsletter so far, users will also be able to download the full first issues of Criminal Macabre, Abe Sapien: The Drowning, and Joss Whedon’s Fray for free! There are still two more issues yet to be unlocked and an iPad 2 up for grabs, so please visit digital.darkhorse.com to sign up for our digital newsletter today!

In addition to the iPhone and iPad, Dark Horse digital comics will be able to be read on any modern web browser. A native Android app is currently in development. In the meantime, the Dark Horse digital store launches with hundreds of our most popular titles, including Mass Effect, Serenity, Conan, The Goon, Hellboy, BPRD, and more!

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Not only is Robert Kirkman a NY Times Bestselling author of comics for adults, but his new all-ages title with artist Jason Howard has exceeded expectations right out of the gate! While the sales for all-ages comic books are typically lower than that of their PG-13 counterparts, SUPER DINOSAUR #1 has out-sold many other titles on the shelf this week before even hitting the shelves. Now, the first new series published under Robert Kirkman’s Image Comics Skybound imprint, SUPER DINOSAUR #1, has sold through its first printing at distribution level and is now being rushed back to press for a second printing.

Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard previously worked together on the recently-concluded horror/superhero series, THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN series. SUPER DINOSAUR is the creative duo’s first crack at creating a comic book their own kids can enjoy. In fact, the original concept behind what later became the modern, genetically-modified dinosaur we see today was first introduced as a character to entertain Howard’s son.

"It's awesome to look back on that first sketch I did with my son and see how it has evolved into a full blow comic incorporating a bunch of the things I loved as a kid myself," Howard reminisced. "But beyond the missiles and dinosaurs, Robert is really infusing the characters with heart and making the story something that all audiences can enjoy, I can't wait for people to see what is coming up!"

The two creators are pleased to have provided kids like their own with a new reason to start reading comics. In fact, a free SUPER DINOSAUR ORIGIN SPECIAL, which picks up right where SUPER DINOSAUR #1 leaves off, will be widely available at participating comic shops on Free Comic Book Day (5/11), giving young readers additional incentive to get into the habit of reading comic books. Plus, SUPER DINOSAUR #1 will not only be available in comic shops today in print, but has also been simultaneously released on Comixology.com as a digital comic for the iPad or iPhone through the Image Comics app.

For the full press release, please check behind the cut

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