There’s no two ways about it: Ryan Stegman is not only awesome but dude draws a mean Spider-Man. The webbing creating the AvX logo is an especially nice touch.

Here’s the full solicit info for the final issues:

AVENGERS VS X-MEN #9 & 10 (of 12)
ISSUE #9 – Story by JASON AARON • Art by ADAM KUBERT
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
Variant cover by RYAN STEGMAN
Avengers Team & X-Men Team Variants also available
KUBERT VARIANT also available
PROMO VARIANT also available
STEGMAN SKETCH VARIANT also available

• Their numbers dwindling, the Avengers stage a daring raid on the X-Men’s prison to rescue their captive members—and you won’t believe where it is!

• Alliances begin to change as the nature of the Phoenix becomes apparent!

• And in the end, it all comes down to Spider-Man!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

"Fuck."

Superheroes and comic book properties might rule the movies right now but they’re having a hell of a tough time getting a foothold on television these days.

As we reported a few days ago, The CW picked up Arrow but in a world where Wonder Woman, Locke & Key, and Powers have recently been passed on by NBC, Fox, and FX, respectively, Oliver Queen is an anomaly.

Add another show to the “What Might Have Been” heap: Disney-owned ABC has passed on A.K.A. Jessica Jones.

The show, based very loosely on the Marvel MAX series Alias, would have centered around former superhero turned private investigator Jessica Jones, and would have featured Luke Cage and Carol Danvers as supporting characters.

So what’s next? According to the above article, ABC President Paul Lee says, “We’ve got some [TV shows based on Marvel Comics characters] in development, but none that I can talk about at this point.”

One they can talk about is Hulk, the live action series that was announced alongside A.K.A. Jessica Jones as being in development last year at San Diego Comic-Con. According to Lee, a live action Hulk series is still being considered for the 2012-14 TV season. Since the Jolly Green Giant was the breakout star of the billion dollar plus grossing Marvel’s The Avengers, that’s not surprising news. I’d imagine that a lot of Hulk projects that were mired in development hell are now getting reconsidered. Of course, if Marvel Studios decided to bring Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk back to the big screen in his own film that could possibly scuttle the TV series. Right now, The Hulk is like the “nerdy” girl in the teen romantic comedy. He just whipped off his glasses and let his hair down and suddenly all the guys are interested.

There is no word on Cloak & Dagger and Mockingbird, which are supposedly in development for ABC Family.

Today’s evaluation is..well a little on the surreal side.

NAME: Kyle Rayner

OCCUPATION: Artist

EVALUATED BY: Salvador Dali

AN ARTIST
What does it mean to be…an artist? It means to paint, no? It means to sculpt? To draw? To create? Yes. Who is the young boy I am speaking of? He is Kyle Rayner. He is as you say…a hero, his name is di Linterna Verde correct? I know of him. I know of many like him. He is not of my time but I know of him in his time. Listen. He is good boy. He draws. He draws with his hand, and his mind. That makes an artist. Excuse me while I eat my lunch, it is a dandelion.

A TALENT
He is a good artist. He can create great things with his mind. I know his great want was to be artist for newspapers. I know this is a great want for several young boys. He is much better. His canvas should be not pages of news but the heavens. He should use the stars as his ink and the rays of the sun as his stencil. He can do this. I have done this. Please, do not misunderstand me. I enjoy newspaper art. I am very intrigued by the  beauty and drama of jealousy, abuse and infidelity that are shown daily in The Lockhorns.

A COSTUME
I like when people put things on their faces. I like this very, very much. This Kyle Rayner puts much on his face. First he puts a a green crab on his face. I like this. Makes me think of my Lobster Phone. He then puts regular green around his eyes. This I no like as much. Then, then his face becomes a void of space. Now this, this I very much like. He also wears what appears to be a swimsuit. Again I like this. I have a pool. A pool I swim in often. A pool filled with milk.

A SPIRIT
I have no words for this. I have only pictures. Look. Dwell on them.

A STYLE
He began as a afterthought. In the shadow of a death of a greater artist. I see a vision. Blue man, who is small and floating and looks like tiny Archie Bunker. He see’s Kyle in an alley. This tiny blue Carol O’Connor is tired of searching for replacement. He gives up and says “You will have to do.” There is not a soul who expects this young artist to succeed. We all plan on him failing. And he does fail. But, he learns as he fails. He will never be as great as the artist he is replacing but he is learning to become, his own artist. His own lightbulb. His own ion of energy. My vision is over now. I hear my baby tiger crying. Come, he yearns for his mother’s milk. We must feed him.

A FINAL VISION
Many hate him. Many hated me. It is okay to be hated. It is fine to be hated by many and only loved by a few. Kyle Rayner is an artist who will be hated. That is good. That is as they say…’Okay’.

ARTIST RESPONSE
Hi, I am calling about submitting my portfolio to your magazine. I would love if you would take a look at it. Nobody else seems to want to give me a chance. I am friends with Hal Jordan, famed test pilot, if that helps? Hello?  Anyone there? Hello?

Timmy Wood is an artist. His canvas is twitter. View his works of art there. 

Mukesh Singh is an Indian-based artist who first teamed up with Morrison on the 2010 illustrated book Grant Morrison’s 18 Days, but his start in comics came years earlier. In 2005 while working as a video game artist, Singh entered a contest to draw Superman put on by the Bangalore comic shop Gotham Comics. Singh won that with an illustration of the Man of Steel paying tribute to the Indian deity of Hanuman, earning him a Alex Ross print and the notice of store-owner Gotham Chopra. Chopra was in the beginning stages of forming Virgin Comics and wooded Singh into quitting his video game job in Mumbai and moving to Bangalore to work out of the studio Chopra had set up. Singh quickly became one of Virgin’s most in-demand in-house artists, making his debut with the flagship title Devi. Mukesh drew that series for seven issues before jumping over to join Andy Diggle in translating movie director Guy Ritchie’s Gamekeeper concept to comics, then partnering with a different kind of creator in Jenna Jameson’s Shadowhunter series.

It was 2008 by then, and Singh had caught notice of the American comics industry enough to earn him a nomination for the Russ Manning award, but his employer was on a downward slide. In 2008 Virgin was faltering after a falling out between Chopra and the Virgin parent company, leading Chopra to buyout the company and rename it Liquid Comics. Chopra was sure to keep Singh close to him, taking him with him as the company entered a more focused publishing stage, first doing a one-shot crossover Devi/Witchblade and then beginning his collaboration with Grant Morrison. At the time Morrison was still under an exclusive to DC, leading them to do their first project — 18 Days – as an illustrated book instead of a comic. That interesting story / movie pitch was an adaption of an ancient Indian mythical story called Mahabharata, one of the Indian subcontinent’s most popular stories of all time. After that, Singh took a side job doing a back-up story in Top Cow’s Artifacts #6 before redoubling his partnership with Morrison and Chopra with Dinosaurs Vs. Aliens. Based on an idea from movie director Barry Sonnenfeld’s, Singh worked with Morrison to create a comic that also served as an outline for a possible movie. A preview was released earlier this month as part of Free Comic Book Day, with the full graphic novel coming in June.

Singh’s hyper-detailed work is a start contrast to the traditional American comics line-work most fans are used to. To some it harkens back to the European BD style, but in reality it owes more to the video game concept art that Singh worked at before jumping to comics. His decision to work outside the traditional Big Two of DC and Marvel has made him an unknown to fans who only buy from those companies, but his art is a rare treat that fans should definitely find the time to devour for themselves.

Just such an extinction event is barreling towards humanity in Ragnaroc Inc. Embrace Oblivion by Jason Garrett and artist K. Tin Dreampath. Central to the cataclysmic endgame is John “Lazarus” Thunderstarr, a man of prestige and influence. In the distant future, it is this unparalleled genius who monitors the approach of impending doom from his boardroom in Manhattan’s Ragnaroc Tower. Perched high atop his corporate throne, Lazarus is racked with paranoia, employing his link to a cybernetic intelligence known as Czar, to probe the minds of his closest advisors and staff. They are each assigned a percentage based on their loyalty to the executive and his ideals. Where some might balk at his continued support of officers with loyalty percentages in the forties and fifties, Lazarus chooses to keep his friends close and his would-be usurpers even closer.

But this isn’t all about white collar intrigue.

Things get explosive and positively jiggly in the camouflaged training center atop Ragnaroc Tower. Though the company’s day-to-day concerns involve scientific research and weapons development, the cornerstone of Lazarus’ organization is his brother Michael Thunderstarr’s strike team of superheroes (or are they villains?) While the men of Team Ragnaroc are grim warriors hidden behind heavy armor and mystic shrouds, the women leave a little less to the imagination. But don’t let that distract you, as these buxom valkyries are lethal agents with furious conviction to Lazarus and his cause. We’re introduced to the team through a tempestuous capture the flag session, the perfect opportunity to reveal each character’s unique abilities (telepathy, energy manipulation) as well as the deep-seated rivalries central to the series’ drama.

Though artist K. Tin Dreampath’s style pays homage to manga, the painted style gives the book it’s own flavor. While the scantily-clad female operatives will likely prove the draw for many readers, it’s the mech designs that really sell the world of Ragnaroc Inc. This blend of western superhero action with the hard science fiction of Japan’s best robot stories makes for an absorbing new franchise.

Oblivion approaches. Might as well embrace it.

Oh. Almost forgot. The first issue is absolutely FREE on Graphicly. Check it out!

Comics have long ignored the toast market. While breakfast has been ostensibly covered by things like breakfast cereals and even themed, branded bowls, cups, and silverware, very few licensing opportunities have found their way to the surface of your bread, english muffin, or bagel.

Until now.

The new toaster collection will showcase iconic imagery featuring Warner Bros. properties ranging from classic movies to hit television series. The license includes such properties as The Wizard of Oz, A Christmas Story, Where the Wild Things Are, The Goonies, Gremlins, Little Shop of Horrors, Watchmen, Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Mad Magazine, Friends, AND MORE!  The first toaster is scheduled to be on sale September 2012.

These collector toasters will imprint iconic images from your favorite Warner Bros. films and television series onto slices of bread to make a fun impression on your breakfast, lunch or midnight snack! The extra-wide slots allow you to not only toast bread, but also bagels and more. UL tested and approved, it includes illuminated function buttons for cancel, reheat and frozen. The toaster design is a beautiful glossy black finish featuring the logo from the film or television series, and is a compliment to any counter top.

Dynamic Forces is teaming with Warner Bros. to offer these very niche products to those who have no fear of mixing their favorite IP with carbs. The speculation is that the toast will contain the Rorschach blots, but I’m hoping for Dr. Manhattan junk. In fact, I promise if the toaster embeds Jon Osterman’s dangler on whole wheat, I’m buying one for everyone in my family. A variant, or something…

The thing I like best about this press release is that it not only tries to attract your pop culture fandom, but also makes a half hearted case for the aesthetic qualities of the toaster, presumably to assuage the fears of any angry wives.

“Sure, it imprints my toast, but it’s a good looking toaster as well, dear!”

Not that I want to stereotype that the users of these toasters are all men. But then, after the fact, what do you think the demographics report for the Watchmen toaster buyers will look like? I know.

It will probably be more 'kitchen friendly' than this. Which sucks.

Hey, also? Yes, I noticed that they’re making Friends toasters as well. Could they milk it any more?!

I’m talking about Conan, dear reader, and for the past few weeks, I’ve begun to realize just how much I love that barbarian, mostly because I picked up The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol 1 last month. While poring over these black and white pages, I remembered times when I was a kid, seeing ads for this comic in other books and thinking, “that’s a grown up comic” — and would imagine just how insane that comic would be, a book that was literally too out of my grasp, being shelved so much higher in the stacks than the regular comics I was reading.

Of course, the book today is still mature, but the violence and sexuality pale compared to modern books. But still, there is something just wonderfully genuine about these stories. I don’t read a lot of “old” comics–I don’t have time for “new” ones–but when I read these reprints, I am struck at how much creative oomph are in these stories, from the wonderful line quality in the legitimately beautiful art to the painstaking lettering that adorns the opening pages to the various stories. Story-wise was the adult version of the regular Conan comic in the 70′s and 80′s (it was a $1.50 compared to the 35¢ regular comics were priced around) and as close to Heavy Metal as I was ever going to be able to grasp at that time of my life.

What I am struck at is how creative the stories were, despite what I would imagine was a pretty small audience. The creators who worked on this book really worked, and you get the sense these stories were as much about honoring Robert E. Howard as they were delighting Conan fans. The artists in this first volume are like a who’s who of comics, including John Buscema, Walt Simonson and Jim Starlin, whose work I knew from “regular” comics but I was actually not aware that they worked on these stories.

But what is it about these classic Conan stories? Honestly, I hadn’t thought about these books in years, but just remembering the title, The Savage Sword of Conan — I mean, what a title!  There’s a refreshing arrogance about this book that really matches the arrogance of Conan himself. I get the feeling that the people working on this book really understood their audience and wanted to make them happy, and didn’t give rat’s ass about anyone else. If someone was offended by their book, great—go buy Mickey Mouse. This Conan is a barbarian. If he needs to kill, he will. If wants to bed some wench, there will be bedding of that wench. When I think about the books I have read now, the only characters that come to mind as being half as, well, simplistic, are Jonah Hex and Parker. Ruthless men for ruthless times, looking out for themselves and no one else.

Reading these stories from thirty years ago reminds me of the more sinister, more gritty aspects of comics that I would assume older fans of the genre still miss. With The Avengers now battling aliens on the big screen, with their bright costumes and perfect teeth, comics–or at least comic book characters–are more than mainstream; they are every day. It is worth remembering that it was not all that long ago that the comic book market could be split into two groups: kids reading comics and adults reading comics. Characters like Conan were appealing to both adults and kids (hence the variety of titles designed for both audiences), so there was, at least for me, always this question, “What goes on in Savage Sword?”

Well, not much more, to be honest. The art was better, and there were probably a few more scenes that took place in harems, and, for sure, Conan was a bit more violent and a little bit more rough around the edges compared to his more mainstream version, but the stores were basically the same: Conan, apparently a barbarian, would use his strength and instincts to win the day, but just as often, he would use his common sense to deal with situations that nobles and “sophisticated” types just couldn’t deal with, or just wouldn’t deal with because of social customs.

Conan was an individual who attacked life head on, who engaged people, danger and women with boundless enthusiasm and gritty determination.

And as a kid, that was exactly how I wanted to live. Heck, to this day, I read these stories, with Conan hacking at knights or being tempted by sorceresses, and I just think this is living. This is adventure. Part of this, of course, is thanks to the wonderful work that Roy Thomas did to make sure that Robert E. Howard’s visions of Conan’s world, the different gods, the monsters, the sorcerers…they are wrought with such specificity and detail that the world feels wonderfully lived in and familiar, so much so that I still chuckle knowingly when someone swears, “By Crom!” You bring Crom into the equation, the shizz is real.

It’s been really interesting comparing these old Conan stories to the current Conan books penned by Brian Wood and drawn by Becky Cloonan. I’ll tell you, I was really excited when I heard this was coming out; being a huge fan of both their work, and it seemed like a natural move for the two of them. However, Wood seems hell-bent on making sure that we remember that these stories came from Howard originally, down to the distractingly out-of-place narrative text rendered in an aged typewriter font, as if we were half reading an old manuscript while looking at Cloonan’s pages. Becky Cloonan is a wonderful artist, and I am a huge fan, but this modern Conan is so clean, so stylized, completely lacking of any grit and sinew that made the Conan of my youth so compelling and scary at the tame time. The Conan of Buscema and Barry Windsor-Smith was an imposing mass of muscle and rage, tamed only by battle and sex, his glowering eyes barely masking his contempt of those around him.  As much as I want to enjoy Cloonan’s toothy version of a younger Conan, he just seems too clean cut and fun loving—which is a totally fine and reasonable way to go about things, just not the rough hewn Conan that I want to read about. And while Thomas definitely leveraged Howard’ text in the incessant narration (one vestige of older comics I am happy we have moved away from—let the art do the work!), it was part of the comic itself and not overly distracting from the dialogue and the action.

To be sure, Conan is pretty much a nightmare of a role model and I still find it kind of odd that my parents let me read these books in the first place, with their sometimes racy, sometimes violent, covers. But there was something about Conan that I needed as a kid. I was a nerdy little kid who played D&D, wore glasses, had braces and, while pretty good at sports, was certainly not destined for glory in anything overtly physical. There was something about Conan, though, that I knew was inside everyone, a barbarian just waiting to get out, that I found really comforting. I am sure I fantasized more than once that if anyone bullied me, I’d get all “barbarian” and turning into swirling, kicking, punching machine, howling for battle, calmed only by Holly-in-fourth-grade’s soothing words. That never happened—but it was fun to imagine.

Even now, as I sit here on this computer after a day in a cube working under fluorescent lights, I realize that I still have the same fantasy—with some of the specific parameters changed a bit. There’s something very inspiring about some brute just walking through the world, shirtless, with a savage freakin’ sword, just going about his business, that I still find really alluring and awesome. Perhaps that’s why I picked up that trade. I thought it was a total whim, but now I think I understand what it really was—I just needed to watch Conan swear by Crom again and fight off some ice giants. In this age of high concept superhero movies and summer comic book events, that kind of purity is increasingly hard to come by.

Mike Romo finds himself wandering around LA in a shirt, looking for acting work. You can reach him through email, visit his facebook page, or listen to him mutter on twitter.

Josh says try…

Crogan’s Loyalty

By Chris Schweizer

The third beautiful hardcover in Chris Schweizer’s ongoing series of the trials of the Crogan family is upon us. In addition to some of the best lettering out there (that’s my thing, I’m sorry), the story is awash in history, both researched and imagined. In this installment, two Crogan brothers find themselves on different sides of the American Revolutionary War. Granted, we know how the war turns out, but the real meat of this family drama is in the relationships, and the wonderful cartooning.

Ron says try…

X-Factor #236

By Peter David & Leonard Kirk

Do my eye deceive me? Is there a major crossover going on that involves the X-Men and somehow X-Factor IS NOT tying into it? What a shocker! Regardless, X-Factor quietly continues to be one of the most consistent books published by Marvel, and not just of the X-Books, but all titles.  Now that Havok and Polaris have rejoined the team, it’s a good time for an X-Factor fan. And what’s this? The upper left corner of the cover features characters heads? This truly is a day to celebrate.

Conor says try…

Deadenders TP

By Ed Brubaker & Warren Pleece

Back in 2000 when we first started putting iFanboy together Deadenders was a very important book for us. Over the last 12 years there have been a lot of great books that we have loved that have been canceled because apparently no one else read them. Deadenders was the first cancellation that Josh, Ron and I experienced together. Josh took the end of this Ed Brubaker written and Warren Pleece drawn sci-fi adventure especially hard. I’m really excited for this trade paperback because for the first time all 16 issues (and the Vertigo: Winter’s Edge issue that featured a Deadenders story) are collected together.

The First X-Men #1 cover by Neal Adams

Today Marvel Comics hosted a press conference call that revealed the details behind the project The First X-Men, which was teased late last week.  On the call was X-Men group editor Nick Lowe, writer Christos Gage and legendary comics creator Neal Adams.

Clearly this 5 issue mini-serie,s which will feature story by Adams and Gage and art by Adams, is a big deal as it marks Neal Adams return to the X-Men after helping to revitalize the title and save it from cancellation over 40 years ago.  Coming off his accomplishment of Batman: Odyssey over at DC Comics, Adams returns to Marvel to help bring to light a tale that has never been told before and, according to Lowe, will exist firmly in continuity, revealing much of the X-Men’s origins and play into Wolverine’s history in an important way.

Adams cited reading the original X-Men run by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and wondered what the story was before X-Men #1, before Professor Xavier had already recruited the first 5 X-Men and gave them costumes and fought Magneto.  ”Maybe this was going on when Professor X was a teenager and mutants were being abused by the government..and somebody stepped out to protect these kids. Who would he be and why would he go to Charles Xavier?  That became my premise,” said Adams about the germ of the idea behind The First X-Men.

The First X-Men #1 Variant Cover

Once presented with the idea, Marvel paired Adams with Christos Gage, who naturally jumped at the chance to work with Neal Adams. Together they worked off of Adams’ initial story outline and developed it into the story that Adams is drawing.  Since the story takes place before X-Men #1, we’ll see some new characters which you can see in the first issues cover to the right, such as a young boy named Bomb and a mysterious woman.  Also included on the cover and within the story are Wolverine, Sabretooth and a Nazi Hunter Magneto.  One could see Magneto’s involvement as  bridge from the movie of X-Men: First Class, but Adams assures us that aside from the Nazi Hunter Magneto, that’s where the similarities stop.

As Lowe mentioned, the mini series will exist within continuity during the appropriate, but timeless, tapestry of the Marvel Universe’s history. So since it’s pre X-Men #1, the creators promised we’ll see Hobo Sub-Mariner (as he was revealed in early issues of Fantastic Four) and Fred Duncan, the FBI Agent from X-Men #2.  As for other surprise appearances from Marvel characters, the creative team hinted that we may, but that they’re respecting the place in history and not to expect to see X-Men like Havok in the book.

When asked, Neal Adams said that, sadly, we will not see Wolverine taking a nap as he depicted Batman in Batman: Odyssey. In fact, much of The First X-Men comes from Adams’ wealth of ideas around the X-Men and the world they live in and he and Gage were excited about adding new characters and backstory to the already rich history of the X-Men.

The First X-Men #1 goes on sale in August, 2012.

The current system of presenting and ordering comics three months ahead of their release as set forth by the sole comics distributor, Diamond Comics, doesn’t make it any easier either. We’re not a fan of that system, we think it’s slowly strangling comics to death, but we realize it’s a harsh reality of how the industry works and we definitely don’t want you to miss out on any of the cool comics being published.

And so, as opposed to regurgitating the list of comics solicited in Previews each month, we present to you some of the highlights of things you probably won’t want to miss out on.

SPOILER WARNING - in order to get people to order comics, the publishers have a funny habit of revealing what’s happening in the books. If you don’t want anything at all to be spoiled, then you’ll probably want to skip this post and take your chances with your pre-orders and/or your shopping.

BEFORE WATCHMEN

I don’t now if you know about this because DC Comics has done a really poor job of promoting it and I haven’t seen any talk about it on the internet, but in August Before Watchmen will be in full swing.

BEFORE WATCHMEN: NITE OWL #2
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Backup story written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by ANDY KUBERT and JOE KUBERT
Backup story art by JOHN HIGGINS
Variant cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND

On sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, 2 of 4, FC, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• “They run…I like it when they run.”
• And don’t miss the latest chapter of the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup epic from writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!
• This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

BEFORE WATCHMEN: OZYMANDIAS #2
Written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by JAE LEE
Backup story art by JOHN HIGGINS
Variant cover by PHIL NOTO

On sale AUGUST 8 • 32 pg, FC, 2 of 6, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• “Why not just kill me now and be done with it?”
• And don’t miss the latest chapter of the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup epic from writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!
• This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

BEFORE WATCHMEN: RORSCHACH #1
Written by BRIAN AZZARELLO
Backup story written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by LEE BERMEJO
Backup story art by JOHN HIGGINS
Variant cover by JIM STERANKO
Variant cover by JIM LEE

On sale AUGUST 15 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 4, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• “What made you this way?”
• And don’t miss the latest chapter of the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup epic from writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!
• This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

BEFORE WATCHMEN: DR. MANHATTAN #1
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Backup story written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by ADAM HUGHES
Backup story art by JOHN HIGGINS
Variant cover by PAUL POPE
Variant cover by JIM LEE

On sale AUGUST 22 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 4, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• “I watch as a box containing a mystery is lowered into the soil.”
• And don’t miss the latest chapter of the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup epic from writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!
• This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

BEFORE WATCHMEN: MINUTEMEN #3
Written by DARWYN COOKE
Backup story written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by DARWYN COOKE
Backup story art by JOHN HIGGINS
Variant cover by CLIFF CHIANG

On sale AUGUST 29 • 32 pg, FC, 3 of 6, $3.99 US • MATURE READERS
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US

• “I’m not here to bust you, I’m here to recruit you. How’d you like to work for your Uncle Sam, Eddie?”
• And don’t miss the latest chapter of the CRIMSON CORSAIR backup epic from writer LEN WEIN and artist JOHN HIGGINS!
• This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

90s SWITCHEROO

One of the biggest complaints about DC Comics in the era of The New 52 is that Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras has brought in too many creators from the bad old days of the 90s. Original Superboy writer Scott Lobdell was one of those writers but now he’s done on the book, replaced by a hot new upstart writer named… Tom DeFalco.

SUPERBOY #12
Written by TOM DeFALCO
Art by R.B. SILVA and ROB LEAN
Cover by STEVE LIGHTLE

On sale AUGUST 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

• There’s a monster hiding in the shadows of New York after dark, and she’s set her sights on Superboy. But her interest in him is more complicated than it seems!
• Superboy’s just starting to figure out what it means to have friends – does he have the good judgment to pick the right ones? Or is he destined to run with the wrong crowd?

ENDINGS

All things must pass. This month sees the end of three books, two from the Vertigo imprint, one of which is a favorite around here. (Although rumors persist that Justice League International will be restarted with a new direction, which it kind of sorely needs, and not just because this one has been canceled.)

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #12
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by AARON LOPRESTI and MATT RYAN
Cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND

On sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T • FINAL ISSUE

• It’s the funeral for ROCKET RED.
• Several members resign from the team – who will be left?

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL #1
Written by GEOFF JOHNS and DAN DIDIO
Art and cover by JASON FABOK

On sale AUGUST 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T

• Will this issue be the final adventure ever for JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL?
• The true nature of O.M.A.C. revealed!
• Ties in to the shocking events of JUSTICE LEAGUE #12!
• Guest-starring BLUE BEETLE!

iZOMBIE #28
Written by CHRIS ROBERSON
Art and cover by MICHAEL ALLRED

On sale AUGUST 1 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS • FINAL ISSUE

All questions are answered in this final issue! Will Gwen make the ultimate sacrifice before Xitalu consumes every soul on Earth? Will Gavin and Spot make up before it’s too late? Will Ellie and Frankenteen find true love? Will Horatio get his original hair color back? With art and colors by Eisner Award nominees Michael and Laura Allred!

SCALPED #60
Written by JASON AARON
Art by R.M. GUERA
Cover by JOCK

On sale AUGUST 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS • FINAL ISSUE

IT ALL ENDS HERE.

BEGINNINGS

But it’s not all doom and gloom at DC Comics. August sees the debut of a new series from one of our favorite writer teams: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti. With covers by Amanda Conner! And although DC Universe Presents hasn’t been lighting up any sales charts or critics’ lists, a new anthology series, National Comics, is upon us.

PHANTOM LADY #1
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art by CAT STAGGS and RICH PERROTTA
Cover by AMANDA CONNER

On sale AUGUST 29 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 4, $2.99 US • RATED T

• The female FREEDOM FIGHTER debuts in her own miniseries!
• Featuring her partner-in-crimefighting, the diminutive dynamo known as DOLL MAN!

NATIONAL COMICS: LOOKER #1
Written by IAN EDGINTON
Art by MIKE S. MILLER
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH

On sale AUGUST 29 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

• New digital-first adventures!
• Emily Briggs was a top supermodel until she was turned into a vampire!
• Briggs uses her supernatural powers to protect the innocent as they navigate the corrupt world of high fashion and modeling!
• A fresh, sexy take on a classic DC character!

ANNUALS

When I was a kid, just about every series had an annual issue that came out in the summer and that’s where the big corssover events usually lived. That’s all gone now, as are most annuals. But DC is bringing them back in force! Or at least, bringing them back for their top tier titles.

THE FLASH ANNUAL #1
Written by FRANCIS MANAPUL and BRIAN BUCCELLATO
Art by FRANCIS MANAPUL, MARCUS TO and others
Cover by FRANCIS MANAPUL

On sale AUGUST 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T

• The Rogues – victorious? If THE FLASH had trouble with them individually, together they’ll kill him!
• Something worse than The Rogues is just waiting for the right moment to attack….

SUPERMAN ANNUAL #1
Written by KEITH GIFFEN
Art by CAFU and others
Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM and BATT

On sale AUGUST 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T

• Abducted by a group of mysterious aliens, Superman is dragged to a remote alien galaxy to take part in THE GAMES, a world hopping game of cat-and-mouse where players are hunted for sport.
• Can even the help of a mysterious new GREEN LANTERN overcome the might of an alien empire?

DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #1
Written by TONY S. DANIEL
Art by ROMANO MOLENAAR and SANDU FLOREA
Cover by TONY S. DANIEL and SANDU FLOREA

On sale AUGUST 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T

• The grudge match you’ve been waiting for: BATMAN vs. THE BLACK MASK!

GREEN LANTERN ANNUAL #1
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by ETHAN VAN SCIVER

On sale AUGUST 29 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T

• The conclusion of “THE REVENGE OF BLACK HAND”!
• Everything changes here! EVERYTHING!

MORRISON

How the heck does Grant Morrison’s Batman, Incorporated story fit into The New 52? Who cares!

BATMAN, INCORPORATED #4
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by CHRIS BURNHAM
Variant cover by ANDY CLARKE
Variant cover by CHRIS BURNHAM

On sale AUGUST 22 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $3.99 US

• BATMAN and TALIA AL GHUL continue their fight for control of their son DAMIAN – better known as ROBIN!
• WINGMAN and REDBIRD descent upon GOTHAM CITY! Who are these heroes, and what is their relationship to THE DARK KNIGHT?
• This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue.

TRADES

Mike W. Barr and Alan Davis–one of the best creative teams to ever work on a Batman book. I wish there was a more comprehensive collection but this will have to do.

LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT: ALAN DAVIS HC
Written by MIKE W. BARR and others
Art by ALAN DAVIS, PAUL NEARY and MARK FARMER
Cover by ALAN DAVIS

On sale OCTOBER 10 • 272 pg, FC, $39.99 US

• Batman stories from legendary artist ALAN DAVIS collected at last!
• Collects DETECTIVE COMICS #569-575, BATMAN: FULL CIRCLE #1 and a story from BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS #25.

Got the Green Arrow blues? I know I do. Well, if the current book doesn’t ring your bell, try some a sampling from the two Green Arrow golden eras.

GREEN ARROW: THE LONGBOW HUNTERS TP – NEW EDITION
Written by MIKE GRELL
Art and cover by MIKE GRELL

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 160 pg, FC, $14.99 US

• A new edition of the title collecting the 3-issue 1987 miniseries!
• Oliver Queen gives up his trick arrows and settles down in Seattle with Dinah Lance. But Ollie’s world collides with one of unspeakable violence involving the beautiful and mysterious archer known as Shado.

GREEN ARROW: THE ARCHER’S QUEST TP – NEW EDITION
Written by BRAD MELTZER
Art and cover by PHIL HESTER and ANDE PARKS

On sale SEPTEMBER 12 • 176 pg, FC, $14.99 US

• The Emerald Archer returns from the dead and sets off on an adventure that tests his courage and brings formerly hidden facets of the Green Arrow legend to light.
• New edition of the classic title collecting GREEN ARROW #16-21.

For a full list of DC Comics in August click here!

So jog down memory lane with me. The date is May 14th, 2003. The number one film in the box office is X2: X-Men United for the second weekend in a row. 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” is no longer the number one song on the radio it has been surpasses by “Get Busy” by Sean Paul. And these are some of the comics at your local comic book shop.

The Invincible Iron Man #68

By Robin Laws, Michael Ryan, Sean Parsons

Hunter: The Age of Magic #23

By Dylan Horrocks, Richard Case, Steve Bird

Case Files: Sam and Twitch #1

By Marc Andreyko, Scott Morse

H-E-R-O #4

By Will Pfeiffer, Jose Angel Kano Lopez

The Power Company #16

By Kurt Busiek, Tom Grummett, Prentis Rollins, Al Vey

Gen 13 #9

By Chris Claremont, Ramon F. Bachs, Sandra Hope

Human Defense Corps #1

By Ty Templeton,Clemente Sauve Jr., Juan Vlasco

Criminal Macabre #1

By Steve Niles, Ben Templesmith

Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day #1

By Judd Winick, Alejandro Garza, Trevor Scott

That was the week that was in comics May 14th, 2003. Did you read any of these comics? Any good or bad memories of them? I remember really wanting to like that Titans/ Young Justice cross over. What about you?

Get to pulling this Wednesday’s books, and then let us know what you’re looking forward to most, what you’re dropping, what others should be buying and anything you’re thinking. Be heard, because we need you, iFanbase!

What are the iFanboys buying? Check their pull lists out here: Conor, Ron, and Josh.

And what about the rest of the staff? What are they buying? Check out their pull lists: Dave, Jim, Paul, Mike, Chris, Molly, Ryan, Josh, Ben, Ali, Chris, Jeff, Matt and Timmy.

This week Conor Kilpatrick has the Pick of the Week!

Bonus Question: What do you want Roger Sterling to buy you?

"How did Final Crisis turn out?"

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been getting sideswiped by the calendar a lot lately. People around me are talking about the college graduations they’re going to over the weekend when it feels like those kids were just home for Thanksgiving a week ago. I keep realizing while watching television that I am somehow seeing the season finale of a show that I would swear just premiered a couple of episodes back. The Avengers movie that’s been on my countdown app for a year or more actually happened several days ago (did you hear about this?) and the windows in my living room still have festive snowflake decals on them.

The numbers on the covers of comic books are especially bad at sobering me with the concrete passage of time. How could the red Hulk book possibly be in the fifties by now? How could that FF thing have conceivably happened seventeen issues ago? Could Wolverine and the X-Men or Miles Morales really be up to #10 already? Where have I been?

Readers of comics often complain… just in general, really; that clause is a complete thought about those periods of fatigue, those seasons when it seems like everyone is telling the same story over and over with a fresh coat of paint on it. Everything old is old again. At this unique moment, however, it seems to me that a lot has changed in the last six months or so.

But has it, really? How we doin’, 2012?

Fortunately, we have an easy way to gauge these sorts of things, thanks to iFanboy’s handy Pull List feature and its de facto function as a historical record of the shrewd, shrewd ways we’ve spent our money. I can’t see what I was thinking about books six months ago– I stopped rating my comics around then, when I realized I share my opinions plenty already and had no interest in further inviting people’s opinions about my opinions– but at least I can see what I was buying then compared to now. If you ever find yourself bored online (imagine such a thing!) this can be a useful exercise to try.

This week six months ago, I bought eighteen titles. Today, I am still reading eight of them. That’s not as dire as it sounds: two were canceled, and several were miniseries that never became anything more. One was that fairly decent Point One which Ron excoriated like it killed his childhood dog. Make no mistake, though: some books have gotten the axe since then.

I’m quite a bit more loosey-goosey with the axe, in fact, thanks to another development that was ramping up roughly six months back, namely Marvel’s foray into digital comics. This week six months ago brought us the first issue of Avenging Spider-Man, the not-technically-Marvel Team-Up relaunch that solicitations sold as “The return of legendary artist Joe Madureira!” without adding, “for, like, a couple of weeks!” In addition to Joe Mad’s coy fan dance, Avenging Spider-Man brought buyers a digital code they could use if they wanted to keep the book and recycle it at the same time, or whatever we’re supposed to be doing with those codes. Since then, gloriously, digital availability has become more or less ubiquitous, giving me the cherished ability to look at the books I’m less excited about and think, “Eh, if people say it’s great on Thursday I can always grab it” without having to think about the logistics of actually going and doing that.

If you had told me six months ago what the point of this series was going to be, I would never have stopped laughing.

It works the other way, too. I picked up some books just this weekend based on rave reviews I hadn’t expected to see. In the last few months alone, digital has improved the quality of life around here even more than I imagined when I was begging for it years ago. This may be the happiest I’ve ever been as a consumer, and six months ago it was nothing like this. Think about the magnitude of that for a second.

Of course, DC had been doing the day-and-date digital thing for quite a while already as part of their “New 52″ initiative. Historically, I had never been a big DC sampler, so at the time I was one of the many people who used the New 52 as a golden opportunity to taste a few new flavors. I even wrote about it a bit at the time. How’s that all going all these months later?

Of the seventeen DC books I sampled at the time, I am still reading eight. Again, this is not as dire as it might sound. That’s six more DC books than I was reading before, so it’s still a win for them. The eight I’m still reading, I look forward to like Christmas day, and some of them are books I’d have never imagined I’d take to, like Supergirl and Swamp Thing. Of the ones I’m not reading, one of them got canceled; a couple of them were futile attempts to give another chance to writers I was never fond of to begin with; and one of them was Wonder Woman, which is at least runner-up for my most vehemently disliked purchase of the last five years. That book got recycled before the rushing air could close the back cover. Nothing is for everyone. Except maybe Batman.

(I should add: I recently dropped Action Comics after indulging it far too long, but I would read the hell out of that crazy bananas President Superman story Grant Morrison set up in the last issue. I can always be won back with the promise of something interesting and new-ish.)

Although it reads like my reading has plummeted, nothing could be further from the truth. I pulled twenty-three blessed books last week, several of which weren’t around a few short months ago. The old makes way for the new, and there is always something great around the next corner if you keep your eyes open.

How’s 2012 been treating you, reader? Have the books you were jumping onto last fall held up their end of the bargain? Have you lost many to cancellation or creative shifts? Here’s hoping your stack is strong. If not, don’t worry; in six months, it’ll all be different again.

Jim Mroczkowski had a completely different day job, diet, and demeanor six months ago. The weather was about the same.

Published in 2005 to synergize with Batman Begins, this two issue miniseries was written by Bruce Jones and drawn by Sean Murphy. Here, Murphy is a true breakout, elevating a simple Batman short story into something to be remembered. The image of Batman breaking through a skylight is one seen hundreds of times before but rarely with such force behind it. Batman’s cape conveys the speed behind his strike while the sound effects and overturned chairs demonstrate Batman’s power. The angle of the shot leaves the reader cowering in the corner, as afraid of this intruder as the thugs. Murphy breathed new life into this superhero cliche.

From Year One: Batman / Scarecrow #1 (2005)

And now with The Avengers coming in to be one of the most popular movies of all time, imagine if the big thinkers at Marvel Studios decided to make a relatively low-budget Thunderbolts movie using the framework already established with S.H.I.E.L.D. in the movies? There’s a load of villains from the movies already in custody, and a few others in comics chomping at the bit for their chance to make their big screen debut. Here we go.

The Concept:

Culling from villains already shown onscreen with a few new additions, a Thunderbolts movie could be be a gritty action movie in the vein of A-Team. And after all the buzz surrounding a Luke Cage movie, imagine pairing that with the Thunderbolts in one big movie?  Cage, a reformed villain himself, given the keys to the superhuman prison to pick out some others who the government would like to see on the side of the angels. The tension between the team-mates would make the in-fighting in Avengers look like child’s play.

Some might argue that a Thunderbolts movie should follow the path of the comic series, starting with the Baron Zemo-era of villains masquerading as heroes to pull off a big scheme, but the later concept introduced by Ellis & Deodato gets to the point more. If the series is successful, you could go back and reel in the Baron Zemo era and attempt to be more true to the comic continuity, but at this point going with the strong “villains given a second chance as heroes” speaks more directly to casual movie-goers.

The Director:

There’s a short list of directors who can accurately do action movies with style and substance in this day and age, and one of the top ones on my list is Joe Carnahan. Although Smoking Aces was a bit senseless, The A-Team and The Grey were more measured. Imagine turning that kind of creativity towards the Thunderbolts concept.

The Cast:

Luke Cage – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: I’m not the only one who thinks Johnson is tailor-made for superhero movies, and I think seeing him take on the role of Luke Cage would be every fan’s dream come true. While he has experience dressing up in tights and costumes, the role of Luke Cage would allow him to wear street clothes and kick ass. As an actor and a personality, he could easily carry a Thunderbolts movie in terms of name recognition, but getting a little help from a Nick Fury cameo wouldn’t hurt either. Likewise, seeding a Thunderbolts movie in Avengers 2 or one of the solo flicks would be a no-brainer — a post credits scene with Nick Fury putting a movie villain in prison, with Johnson-as-Cage asking if the villain-in-question would be right for the Thunderbolts. Fade to black.

Abomination – Tim Roth: Roth-as-Abomination was one of the best parts of The Incredible Hulk, but that movie’s been largely overlooked in the Marvel movies’ scheme of things. But imagine bringing him back as an imprisoned villain given a second chance under the watchful eye of Luke Cage? The pieces are already in place, as the short film Marvel One Shot: The Consultant (On the Thor DVD) showed the shadowy group in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted Roth’s Abomination for the Avengers Initiative. Imagine a mutated Abomination with the mouth of Tim Roth arguing with Luke Cage — or better yet, how about Abomination chained to his human form by the government working under Cage?

Ghost – Bill Hader: Ghost is one of the few characters whom not much is known about, not even his real name. Putting Hader in this auspicious role would fill out the character and also allow for some cool character moments and interactions with the other Thunderbolts while using special effects to show off his powers.

Moonstone – Amber Heard:Living up to the moniker of ‘femme fatale’, Amber Heard has shown herself a different kind of movie starlet — if you don’t believe me, watch Drive Angry. And like her, Moonstone is a different kind of character — one I think Heard could fill out with her boisterous personality.

Songbird – Odette Annable: She’s no Kitty Pryde, but she is in a way the most innocent member of the Thunderbolts team — even if they’re all villains. Seeing her on House shows she’s got the acting chops, and giving her a shot at the big time with Thunderbolts would be a great use of her skills and her ability to get on the viewers’ good side.

Crossbones – Jason Statham: Some might say Crossbones’ movie debut should come in a Captain America film, but what if you started him off as a part of the Thunderbolts with an already long history of vaudevillian behind him. He could be the counterpoint to Luke Cage on the team and, well, when Crossbones double-crosses the team — as he is prone to do — it could easily set up a future meeting with Cap in another film.

Here’s how “Who Do You Trust?” is described:

The Avengers are torn apart when Nick Fury returns and reveals that the shapeshifting alien Skrulls have begun infiltrating Earth. The situation becomes worse when they learn a Skrull lurks within the Avengers.

I look forward to your thoughts, opinions, gripes, live-blogging, etc.

Here’s how “Back in Black” is described:

When the terrifying Venom returns, Spider-Man tries to stop the villain and save his best friend. Spidey must decide if he can trust his new teammates with the shocking truth about Venom before asking for their help.

I look forward to your thoughts, opinions, gripes, live-blogging, etc.

Here’s how “Alienated” is described:

The Team and the Justice League continue to hunt the Kroloteans that have invaded earth — but the aliens have help from an extremely unexpected source…

I look forward to your thoughts, opinions, gripes, live-blogging, etc.

Here’s how “Flight Club” is described:

The Green Lanterns travel to a prison asteroid to find a legendary code that holds the key to crossing an impenetrable asteroid barrier called ‘The Maelstrom’ before Atrocitus and his Red Lantern armada can do so. Unfortunately, a Thanagarian prisoner named Byth Rok is the only one that knows the code.

I look forward to your thoughts, opinions, gripes, live-blogging, etc.

This week, all the American television networks have been announcing which shows will return next season and which pilots have been picked up to series. The CW has announced that Arrow, the new live action Green Arrow series that has nothing to do with the live action Green Arrow from Smallville, will be slinging its way to television screens come fall.

I’ve heard mixed things about the pilot but I guess we’ll all find out for sure after the summer.

Arrow is written and produced by Andrew Kreisberg, Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, all of whom have strong ties to comics and comic book media properties (like, well, Green Lantern).