Lazy Bullet-Point Catch-Up

Well, there were about a billion announcements last week, none of which I was really able to talk about here, because I was stuck in 1995.

So, how about a marathon of uninformed, ill-considered snarkiness?

• Wolverine: The Best There Is...seriously? That's the actual title for the series? It sounds more like a razor jingle...isn't Marvel at least remotely embarrassed to release a comic with that title?
  

• Let's see, Action Comics, and now Squire & Knight...you know, Marvel, all you had to do was find a way to not cancel Captain Britain and MI-13, and maybe you could have kept Paul Cornell around, creating cool things for you instead of them...
  

• You know, when I saw this placeholder cover...

...the very first thought to pop into my head was, "Maybe on that road home, he'll pass Superman going the other way, and kick Clark's ass for being such a dingus." We can only hope.

• To those who approved of my Superman #701 bashing, these guys did it better, and in only three panels.

• Batman: The Dark Knight, the new ongoing by David Finch, puts Batman "into a world of demonology, dark arts, and mystery. He's the ultimate detective, faster, stronger and smarter than any villain, but now he faces creatures to whom logic and mortality don't apply."

Color me skeptical, albeit open-minded. Yes, it's good to take Batman out of his comfort zone once in awhile...but isn't that what the last three years have been already? And I don't think Batman mixes well with mystical, except in very small doses (Your mileage may vary). So if that's really the long-term premise of the book, as opposed to just an arc...well, we'll see. I'll give it a chance.

• Wait a minute--Jonathan Hickman writing an Ultimate Comics Thor? You mean I'm actually going to have to read an Ultimate book?? Damn you Marvel--damn you to hell!! (Note: this title hasn't been confirmed by Marvel yet, so it could be just a rumor).

• I'm thrilled that DC is finally getting around to doing the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents (what took so long?? You announced this a full year ago!!). And I actually think the concept makes a better fit for the DC Universe than Red Circle or Milestone--it's basically The Order done 1960s meets Checkmate, so it's got a healthy vibe ( but since the premise is heroes no one in the DC Universe knows, facing "global threats the rest of the DCU don’t even know exist," you wonder why it has to be in the DC Universe...).

However, along with the lengthy delay, the fact that DC has assigned back-benchers to the creative team leaves me fearful. Nothing against Nick Spenser and CAFU--but they're not exactly household names, and the renown of the creative team is usually a sign of DC's commitment to a project these day. Just watch--the first DC guest-stars will be Magog and and members of the Global Guardians--the will prove the strip is doomed.

Meanwhile, here's a helpful (OK, not too helpful) primer of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents.

• Satan Girl?? Yessss......

• A new John Carter comic? YYYYYYeeessssssssss.........

Thank you Dynamite!!!