June 30. That's the end of the year. Financially speaking of course. No sense in making quick dashes to the charity line now. There's a whole year coming up straight on the edge of that tomorrow.

Every damn issue looks like it could be the last one. Amazing Spider-Man #521 doesn't have anything making it stand out. This is probably what happens when reading the comics falls back on looking at what else is there.

Wildsiderz #0 is on re-order. And cheap. And is the new J. Scott Campbell book. Good, but yet to be sold on this.

Blacklight #1 features solicitation copy that reads: "Lina Juarez is stuck in a dead-end job and a dead-end relationship, living a dead-end life in a dead-end town." which just for the hell of reading so many dead-ends is enough of a peek.

Angel: The Curse #1 supposedly picks up somewhere after "Not Fade Away" of Angel. Could be interesting, could be totally shattering thing to read up on what was an excellent closer for the show. Decisions, decisions.

 

July 9 sees a couple of first issues hit alongside Spidey and the crew from Planet Express.

Flak Riot #1 starts the four issue mini with a solicit that reads: "...the story of one Zoe Nixxon, a cute, bored, lonely file clerk who longs for a new line only to find her true calling: hunting for bounties in the lawless dimension known as the O.D." But it was the cover that made this one jump into the stack.

From the guys that had that non-Sigil stained kids' fantasy title out from CrossGen before the implosion, Stardust Kid #1. Given the wonderful work that DeMatteis and Ploog were delivering on Abadazad, here's hoping the flavour country continues.

Strange Girl #1 seems like it could be interesting enough to pick up. Whether or not it will continue is another matter.

Futurama Comics #20 is back again outside of that three-parter that ran not too long ago. Unless of course a season is considered a long drop between issues. The only source of new Futurama to be had is pretty decent.

And for the sake of it, Ultimate Spider-Man #78.

 

May 26 sees the first title of the DC line to carry their new hockey league logo/emblem. Underneath what will be a huge splash for the new do, a comic should be seen underneath DC Special: The Return Of Donna Troy #1. Won't be getting that.

Amazing Spider-Man #520 teeters on the edge as it's very reason for being a standing order comic remains sketchy at the best of times. Probably should read up to the last issue before dropping it.

From the guys that brought Ultra comes Girls #1. "Ethan Daniels is a typical bachelor who suffers from one, infallible truth: dealing with the opposite sex can be complicated. One night, he bumps into a mysterious woman who will change his life... and maybe even the world." Questionably picked.

Don't bother looking for Elvira #145 on the shelves. It's a short ordered item. Think one copy. Just the one. That's showing something for ya, nothing. One of those deals straight for the determined fan. Pretty fun book actually.

Common Foe #1 should have some army dudes killing other dudes under a hail of bullets from the trenches. Good timely stuff seeing as the Australian Defence Forces are looking to pack up and go mercenary.

When scores of zombies isn't enough, latch onto the dead skin of Hunger #1. Zombies. Feeding the brain eaters.

 

Another week passes, and on April 21, these are the titles that will push buying other comics into the back.

Spectacular Spider-Man #27 brings an end to Paul Jenkin's five year run with the webslinger. Back for this send off tale is Mark Buckingham and good ol' Uncle Ben in a flash back episode. From the preview pages, it'll be a soft and warm touch to close out another Spider-Man series before another soon takes up the void.

Still standing and being taken into the standing order include Amazing Spider-Man #519 and Ultimate Spider-Man #76. Pretty close to closing in on reading these up to their current issue. One or two more away now. Not too far from the blast.

With Trigger #5 the series is now only three more before being totally canned. It's fate is already sealed, so there's no point in making much fuss about it. Doesn't mean it won't be a good read up until the end. It's been this good so far, what with the mind games, overlords of thought and all that paranoia.

Clear out on the front is Detonator #3. If the first two issues are anything to go by, and they usually are, it's a steaming pile of explosions and booms. Shards of plot shatter and the characters inside are left unhurt for their vapidity knows no pain.

Hopefully Iron Ghost #1 won't dive into the wreck left by a smoldering Detonator. The art work looks nice, but beyond that -- and wasn't there a hint of a swastika? -- can't recall anything of the story at large.

 

Ever is the intent to read the new stuff. This going along with the old stuff makes for a lot of stuff to read in aggregate. April 7 sees a bunch of losers, a bunch of firsts and a bunch of philosophers take to the "interesting" pile.

Ultimate Spider-Man #75 continues the Hobgoblin story. Part 4 of a six part arc. Having only read the first part a couple of weeks ago, it looks like Harry could be getting far more stroppy than we've seen before. After all, the guy comes back from wherever the looney bin was and finds that punk kid Parker having relations with his girl MJ. Yeah, like when was that really? You missed the boat Harry. Let's see what do to bring it back.

GLA #1 takes on the Avengers in a way not unlike that of Formerly Known as the Justice League did for the JLA. These Great Lakes Avengers are said to be the losers of the bunch, the dumb lucks struck by their own hand. The cover should be a good indication of the whole flavour of the title.

Vertigo First Taste is a gold mine of the Vertigo Comics stable. Y: The Last Man #1, 100 Bullets #1, The Books of Magick: Life During Wartime #1, Saga of the Swamp Thing #21, Transmetropolitan #1 and Death: The High Cost of Living #1 all jammed together into a tight little US cover price of only US$4.95. Bargain.

Action Philosophers #1 really sounds like someone was off their rocker when concocting this one. Nietzsche, Plato and kung fu master BodhidharmaFu appear in a "a hip and humorous way" and let's just hope that means fun. Be a weird way to teach the new kids a bit about the old folks outside a take through Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

 

Astonishing X-Men #9 is the only recommendation from this week's list coming into the store on March 31. This despite the fact that there's at least three issues between what's on the stands and what's been read from the collection at home. But it's still a solid take on the X-Men. Even if it is looking to take its time coming out.

On the other hand, there is also MK Spider-Man #12. The perfect jumping-off point for those who fell into the trap of reading this series. Not to say that it was all bad, gritty and like a mouthful of gravel it was. Thing is, was it really even the Spider-Man that Spider-Man is? Or were any of the characters really acting rationally and in character? For the fans of Reggie "Kiss my butt Wakanda" Hudlin, #13 is where the line starts.

On the cheap-enough-for-a-look range is that DC Countdown to Infinite Crisis 80 page whopper. The start of another one of the company-wide earthquaking events. It's like the timing was planned just around the Indonesians. Class act.

 

When you've stuck yourself into a warp hole of time and space, you can't find the other end without first losing the middle. Make this promise to yourself often enough and the realities of failure will make their commitment ever lasting. These are the picks for comics expected to hit the store on March 24.

Amazing Spider-Man #518 falls back further and further as the last read issue vanishes close into that void of a six month period. This can only mean one thing about the filing system, it needs to exist. That, or just can the book outright and read what's left of the Spider-Man issues before reconsidering picking it back up again. Which might be a good deal healthier a prospect overall.

Can't quite remember asking for Ed The Happy Clown #1 to make an appearance in the box. We'll see what it's like when it takes a leap frog in the reading queue over the other comics. And that seems to happen quite a lot. If anything, it could only serve as a taste test for that trade expected further in the year.

If Shaolin Cowboy #2 is a reorder, what happened in the second issue anyway? Got to check to see if this one's already been bought. Pretty expensive for a double shot.

Futurama Simpsons Crossover Crisis Part 2 #2 will most definitely be the first read of this week's pile. Gots to see how this one is wrapped up from the cliffhanger of the first part.

 

Another Thursday falls this month, and for March 17, these are the goods getting picked on:

Clearly there must be something wrong when starting a mini-series on its second issue. Unless of course that reason is due to having missed out on even remembering that the first issue was even released. And so it will be on reading Lions, Tigers and Bears #2, a four issue mini-series from Image about a kid and his toys. Calvin and Hobbes comes to mind, as does a really hard edged sword for no particular reason.

Hark! Another from the Mike S. Miller churn school, Lullaby: Wisdom Seeker #1 hits this week with hints of Fables all around it. Still, with the cover image looking a little strange, it's a pick on the basis that its only one issue of a four-parter that isn't tied down in some heavy continuity.

Not saying that Ultimate Spider-Man #74 is, but sometimes you want to test the waters out there. Along with teen Parker is Ex Machina #9 and a vague recollection that perhaps a tax write-off could be in order for a few of these issues. If only there was a receipt. Alas.

Fear not a rambling end, Freedom Force #3 should continue the rollicking fast-paced action of this limited series from Image/Irrational Games. And boy, what a pace, where's the room to breathe? This comic is nuts with all out action and a shaky plot that bounces too fast for it to even keep up. Really moved the video game in with a synch.

 

Sunday is supposedly the quietest day of the week in the store. That and Monday. But since Monday is when the doors are closed, Sunday takes the roost by default. Given this stated notion, there certainly were a lot of people in the store yesterday. Just about ten minutes after the doors open and the place is seeing a churn rate of at least two people who are not regulars float around the store. This low buzz of movement and people goes on for over 90 minutes and probably close to two hours -- can't remember exactly, memories wash away every day.

Pulling out the standing order, the initial stack for the week hits eight titles -- A Bag of Anteaters #1, Amazing Spider-Man #517, Astonishing X-Men #8, Bride of the Freakshow, Captain America and The Falcon #13, Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril #3, Tomb Raider #50, Ultimate Spider-Man #73 -- add to that Freedom Force #2, Futurama #1 and Trigger #3 off the shelves and it's a damaging blow of eleven in one go. This is what happens when the box isn't cleared every week for a couple of weeks. Others have it worse.

Running a cursory sum of the total haul, watching as the numbers get ever closer to and over $50, the summing up pauses on the sight of Spider-Man: India #4 in the mix.

Delvac, who was in the store taking a few photos of some items, cracks up laughing at the register. Stepping out for less than five seconds, picking up those three extra comics and in that time he manages to slip in a copy of India... what happened?

Even though there were more people than expected for a Sunday morning, it wasn't enough to cause that much of distraction.