WCBR’s Picks Of The Week

Kyle’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: None – Since it turned out to be a far busier week than I ever could have anticipated, I, unfortunately, was unable to get anything read (or reviewed).

Most Anticipated: Dark Avengers Annual & Empowered one-shot (Tie) – The artwork for the Dark Avengers Annual is being done by Chris Bachalo, one of my favorite artists.  For that reason alone, the Annual earns an easy spot in the “Most Anticipated” slot.  The Empowered one-shot is the first Empowered story done in the traditional comic book format.  Adam Warren’s smart, funny, and sexy superhero series has been fantastic from the very start so I fully expect the special Empowered one-shot to be one of the best things on the shelf this week.

Other Top Picks: Black Widow& The Marvel Girls #1 (Salva Espin won me over during his run on Jeff Parker’s Exiles series), Deadpool Team-Up # 898, Psylocke #2, Seige: The Cabal, Strange #2, Uncanny X-Men #518, X-Force Annual, Hack/Slash #28, Haunt #3, Supergod #2

DS’ Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Blackest Night #5 was a really strong book, but Greg Rucka’s work on inventing an authentic, real person in Batwoman (in Detective Comics #859) is setting the standard this week in tight, controlled, effective writing.

Most Anticipated: Blackest Night: The Flash #1 – Geoff Johns brought us Blackest Night and Flash: Reborn. Blackest Night: The Flash #1 (of 3) promises to be outstanding for those two reasons.

Other Top Picks: Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1 (of 3), JSA All-Stars #1, Ghost Riders: Heavens on Fire #5, Superman: World of New Krypton #10, The Great Ten #2, Dark Avengers Annual #1, Fall of the Hulks Alpha #1, Hulk: Winter Guard One-Shot, Strange #2, Uncanny X-Men #518

Alex’s Top Picks

Pick of the Week: Powers #1 – Despite another great issue of Detective Comics and the strongest Madame Xanadu book in months, Powers just did everything right.  In the span of 22 pages, it fully encapsulated more or less everything that has made the series so good over its lengthy, if sporadic, run.  Revealing flashbacks, gritty cop drama, superheroes, human drama, and excellent, distinctive noir artwork meet once again in what is essentially a reprise of an Eisner winning formula comics fans have grown to love.

Most Anticipated: Siege: The Cabal #1 – It’s an event comic and frankly, it’s not even an event I’m all that thrilled about, save for the fact that it promises the end of Dark Reign.  This comic shouldn’t have me salivating, and really, it doesn’t.  But the solication for it seems to hint that they’re going to reveal who Osborn’s mystery partner and man in the shadows is.  In the end, I’m still you’re average sucker and my overwhelming curiosity has gotten the better of me.  Marvel, if that solicitation text was a tease, I’m going to be absolutely irate.

Other Picks: Scalped #33, The Sword #20, Thor #604, Sweet Tooth #4, Uncanny X-Men #518, Jack of Fables #40