From the creator of Buffy and the writer of Astonishing X-men and Runaways comes the prequel series to the blockbuster Serenity film. Following up from from the last Serenity comic mini-series 'Those Left behind'  from three years ago, Joss Whedon revisits his fan-favourite Serenity series with 'Better Days', also a three part mini-series.

Joss Whedon returns to the world of his blockbuster film Serenity with the three issue mini-series Better Days. Better Days revisits everyone's favourite space cowboys in this thrilling, action-packed adventure, with Mal and his crew on a heist that promises a big payoff. What's surprising is that this heist just might make a good on that promise. Whedon reunites with Brett Matthews and Will Conrad, his collaborators on the best-selling 2005 series 'Those Left Behind'. Adam Hughes joins the team for the covers.

Other comics out this week

Not so defenders of the Earth, but from Marvel Comics; The Last Defenders #1 (of 6), features four size-able characters; Colossus, She-Hulk, Blazing Skull and led by Nighthawk. The Defenders have been re-formed to serve a policital agenda, who's agenda though? Surely there is more that the Defenders can do and what is there purpose in down the line? Written by Joe Casey (Avengers; Earth's Mightiest  Heroes, Ben 10); Art by  Jim Muniz

Where have the old Hollywood monsters gone? In the age of computer graphics and green screen, the answer ain't pretty. Having lost all of his money in a dot-com scheme, Frankenstein's Monster is content to drink the days away. When a chance at work drops in his lap, can he sober up long enough to cash in? Will the whole affair end in pitchforks and torches? Screamland #1 (of 5), written by Harold Sipe; Art & covers by; Hector Casanova.

Trade of the week: Avengers Initiative Vol. 1

From one of the writers of Amazing Spider-man, Dan Slott brings his magic to the table with Avengers Initiative.

The CIVIL WAR is over and from now on, This is the new face of the Marvel Universe - THE INITIATIVE! Whose side were you on? Well, if you were pro-registration, then there’s one hell of a price to pay. You’re in the army now. Every last one of you. Fall in with Yellowjacket, War Machine, She-Hulk, Justice and Gauntlet as they train the heroes of tomorrow for the super-powered conflicts of today! Marvel’s army of super heroes has just become a super hero army! Also featuring THE MIGHTY AVENGERS and a new generation of Marvels. Collecting AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #1-6.

 

Eat enough of your greens and your skin will not come to shine in the same hue or sheen. Clearly there must be a better way to have green skin outside of being blasted with gamma rays in the Marvel Universe. Body paint just won't do.

The Hulk. The Abomination. The Leader. The Harpy. Doc Samson. Born of gamma radiation, they represented a new chapter of humanity. Now, spawned through their respective DNA has come the next generation... the Gamma Corps. Recruited and trained by the enigmatic General Ryker, their mission is a simple one -- to kill the Incredible Hulk.

And considering he's facing 5-1 odds, is that a mission even this new and improved version of the Green Goliath can prevent?

World War Hulk: Gamma Corps #1 from Marvel Comics

Making up for lost time in the reading line leaves Civil War Chronicles to pick up run into one long connection of the many and the disparate parts of the comics event told in seven parts with hangers on.

Nothing to do with tuberculosis here as Asa Shumskas-Tait, Dennis Budd and Joe Caramanga get Consumed. Love is a battlefield and on this plane, a demon has sights for a possession.

Mike Carey and Dean Hyrapiet hit New Orleans and reawaken the spirits in Nicolas Cage's Voodoo Child. Oh how cold it is to be ice in the veins and a tuft of hair to control the doll.

Roy Thomas and Hugo Petrus adapt The Man In The Iron Mask by Alexander Dumas. Where a lowly prisoner in the Bastille is none other than the twin brother of King Louis XIV. No Leo here for those who were wanting that other adaptation.

Andy Diggle and Jock strip it bare and back for Green Arrow: Year One. One man and his arrow, many others and their guns. Fade to mayhem.

Four corners and Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Kyle Hotz hit it up on Annihilation: Conquest: Wraith. Spanking with the brand shiny, a character, a life and a warrior new to the working out of shoulders that are frozen solid into a hunch.

Slicing a cut in two listening to Friday the 13th: Pamela's Tale. Marc Andreyko and Shawn Moll peel the layer behind Jason Vorhees' mum, Mrs Vorhees. Yes, that is Pamela.

Anita Blake - Vampire Hunter: The First Death with Laurell K. Hamilton, Jonathon Green and Wellinton Alves takes two steps into the start of it all, with the first drip of red and that's not into a goblet.

Troy Wall, Mario Guevara, Juan Vlasco, Juanmar slam with three cherry lips with BloodRayne: Red Blood Run. Not happy when it's raining down in Mexico and see if you can pick up the reference here.

Hit it with the digits as the Fantastic Five return for a shot of the sun. Tom DeFalco, Ron Lim and Scott Koblish go rah-rah and that is so out of place as they split, run up and jumble into a mix with each other.

Trade of the week

From Marvel it's The Irredeemable Ant-Man: Volume 1: Low-Life by Robert Kirkman and Phil Hester. Superhero powers? Why settle to choose between either good or evil? How about a bit of the selfish and the greasy underhand? It's all about taking care of number one here, and that means looking out for no-one else.

 

During the initial highs of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mania, with the cartoon, action figures and movies, they sold all sorts of merchandise to bring in the kids.

One such concoction was a tiny bucket of green ooze with a little glow-in-the-dark turtle wearing an eye mask. Short of actual turtle soup, the slime lasted a short while in the heat before it was just runny snot.

The first of our five movie prequels slated for release in the weeks immediately preceding the opening of the new TMNT CGI movie!

Prequel #1 focuses on Raphael's growing disillusionment with his brothers and sensei, his increasing use of violence and the strange discovery that might provide the solution to his problems. Not to mention lots of kick-butt dark-of-night ninja action!

Prequel #2 focuses on Michelangelo's secret identity as the children’s entertainer Cowabunga Carl! When a purse-snatcher interrupts Carl’s gig at a hockey game can nunchaku ninja action and Casey Jones be far behind? It's a face-off... and in more ways than one!

TMNT Movie Prequel one shots from Mirage Studios

War in Iraq, what's not to love? Army@Love from the battle cries of Rick Veitch and Gary Erskine show the ensuing madness makes for hot and steamy times ducking under the whizzing bullets and mortar shells. Comedy of errors really, and then there's the comic.

Fall for the heroes who have fallen from their pedestals. Where the pressure is too much and the quick kick to a pick up leaves the question of just how to cope and deal with all that pressure. Howard Wong and Marco Rudy go After The Cape with three sips of the bottle to see how it is.

Andrew Dabb and Steve Kurth close out the take on the mythic trilogy of Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman in twelve vials with Dragonlance Chronicles Volume III: Dragons of Spring Dawning. End of the line kids, and it's time to look inside for the real demons to battle. Played Internal Risk of late?

C.B. Cebulski and Humberto Ramos take their cues from Molly Hayes in Runaways Saga. Running up the adventures of the Marvel teens to date prepping the switch from BKV to Whedon. Track attack on a look back over what has come before up to now. One shot at goal.

Leah Moore, John Repion and Stephen Segovia paint a picture of the man who sold his soul for eternal youth who crosses paths with the woman who bears the blade in Witchblade: Shades of Gray. For much like photos in the back of a cereal box, it's a question of smoke, mirrors and mystery. Probably not the mirrors. And more on metaphor.

Simon Furman and Marcelo Matere drop a tape into the boom box and let loose with Transformers Spotlight: Soundwave. Soundwave takes an eye to Bludgeon who is in charge of finding out about what happened to Shockwave. Eat enough foil and the teeth will hate you for it.

Mike Wolfer drags the not so dead zombies around in Escape of the Living Dead Annual. A town sinks below the depths and from there it's pretty much a seafood platter for those knocking about for more braaaaaaaaiiins.

Lady Death Annual takes a holiday with Brian Pulido and Richard Ortiz and Daniel HDR. No, apparently that's right.

Anthony Flamini, Ronald Byrd and Scott Kolins survey the end and the aftermath of the Pro vs Anti Registration camps in Civil War: Battle Damage Report. Scout the land, smell the burning embers and make a nice toasted sandwich with cheese that melts a hole in your mouth.

And the turtle still glows in the dark to this day.

 

Conventional door handles suggest that promotion of other people's names would mean the clothes you're wearing, which bear the big logos, would be cheap. And that anything boutique, really boutique, like your own moniker, would be more expensive.

Not so, as it's pretty much a premium to wear a logo it seems. And finding people to walk around with your name, not so easy to find.

Unless they think you're dead.

Since the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers--newly legion--have gotten organized and are kicking some serious undead butt. But not everything's fun and firearms, as an old enemy reappears and Dawn experiences some serious growing pains...

Buffy creator Joss Whedon brings Buffy back to Dark Horse in this direct follow-up to season seven of the smash-hit TV series.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer from Dark Horse Comics

Score one for the inability to keep to a schedule as the woman with the armour bracelets switches into a totally different gear in Wonder Woman #5. Will Pfeifer and Jean Diaz cover the gaping hole left by The OC bloke, Heinberg, who brought Wonder Woman back in line with the rest of the big hitters, late. After this, it's a new creative team again.

Get a little vague as Chuck Dixon and Ryan Benjamin tackle the heads of Grifter and Midnighter. Six blocks to knock down and nary a world of thought for that which drives them so. Much in the don't ask, don't show variety it appears. Shame.

Javier Grillo-Marauch and Carlos Rafael take it back to the BSG where Starbuck wasn't an XX in Classic Battlestar Galactica; Cylon Apocalypse. Damn BattlestarGalactica.com, you manage to choke out Opera. Swamp thing takes over the body of a Cylon and it's up to Adama and Starbuck to assess the situation. Classic, but keep an eye on the covers, it says nothing otherwise. Hard to call.

Run for the hills, Abe Sapien! It's the past come round like a book flying with wings tipped in gold leaf and a world of jungle fever. Or is it? B.P.R.D: Garden of Souls from Mike Mignola, John Arcudi and Guy Davis on art in a five petal leaf of history as Langdon Caul.

Captain America and Iron Man have fought the fight they needed to fight and here is the closer to the whole shebang. Civil War: The Confession from Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev with a hint of all round new style art from the man, it's a tale between two souls and the end of it all.

 

Take the strain as there's nothing like the grimace of someone as you walk through that door and realise that, yes, it is engaged and they're on the way to drop another. Face of the nation atop the throne of the house taking its dues.

Grin and bear it like the lungs need to feel it.

Frank Castle is back in the Marvel Universe and unlike others who've tip-toed the line between anti and pro-registration, Frank is diving right into the Civil War starting in the all-new ongoing series Punisher War Journal #1. Frank's not likely to have second thoughts about his role: those who deserve punishment will pay... and the sentence is death.

First up on the list: Stilt-Man! Wilbur Day, more commonly known as Stilt-Man, might not be a heavy hitter, but it doesn't matter who you are, if you cross Frank Castle you're done for. Take note true believers, Frank isn't going soft just because he's back in the Marvel Universe; expect blood and lots of it.

Written by Matt Fraction with Young Guns: Reloaded artist Ariel Olivetti, Punisher War Journal ties directly into Civil War #5 and guarantees to change the tide of the war. What is Frank's plan? How will he affect this war? Only he knows and we're too scared to ask!

Punisher: War Journal #1 - Marvel Comics

Coming to a New Years that's yet to happen, IDW Publishing with Angel: Auld Lang Syne. Scott Tipton and David Messina face with Angel and Spike to spot some old ghosts and faces that just won't die.

Split that DC bulls eye six ways with Connor Hawke: Dragon's Blood. Chuck Dixon and Derec Donovan head off with Connor Hawke for what starts out to be a simple archery contest. And from there the solicit info jumps into the underwear drawer.

Certainly not the stuff for all ages, C.B. Cebulski and Sana Takeda takes on ninjas and vampires in Drain. From Image Comics, it's a tale of centuries with a ninja vampire out for revenge.

For those who missed the first step in the adaptation of Laurell K. Hamilton's novels, and there were a few, Dabel Brothers are on the trail with Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Guilty Pleasures. Twelve steps to the end and on the path to bringing in the rogue vampires, Stacie M. Ritchie and Brett Booth are on the case.

Katana blades, zombies, and a whole bunch of other refugees in Zombies: Eclipse Of the Undead. El Torres, Yair Herrera with another IDW title that doesn't link well from their own site.

In a solicit that has way too many exclamation marks, Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis and Julia Bax present lessons three in Planetary Brigade Origins New School. Boom! Studios holding the session where things come and go in the span of a chuckle or two.

Names are dripping all over the Red Menace from Wildstorm Comics. Six issues to hold names such as Jerry Ordway, Al Vey, Paul DeMeo, Danny Bilson and Adam Brody. That's right, two of the last three are connected to The O.C. It's 1953 and the fear of Communism with no cigars is rife in the USA. More red clothes!

IDW Publishing take a step back before the tick-tick-ticking of that clock that never comes or runs into a 1 in 24: Nightfall. J.K. Vaughn, Mark L. Haynes and Jean Diaz take it and do it in six. Like an old style clock. Real old-style, like one that never existed.

The Experts are here and they're from Near Mint Press. Kenn Minter and Clarence Pruitt look to tongue an indy loving purchase with a short order of misfits looking to earn some quick cash. You probably won't see this on the shelf too long, it's a strange one that orders this...

 

Funds are short no doubt to re-animate the buried corpse of Jack "The King" Kirby. Little back on bio-technologies as well. It's a family affair and with Kirby's daughter keeping the line on the line.

An All-New series featuring characters and concepts created by Jack "King" Kirby!

In this double-sized first issue, meet the Berkleys, your typical suburban California family. But when young Garrett Berkley discovers his parents' secret-that the science fiction stories his father writes aren't fiction at all, but autobiography-he's blasted into a whole new universe of adventure, mystery and danger.

Now, Jack Berkley must put down his pen, reassemble his old team, and take up the mantle of being a Galactic Bounty Hunter for one final mission!

Jack Kirby's Galactic Bounty Hunters

Speaking of the conflict between the Marvel super heroes, Civil War X-Men. David Hine and Yanick Paquette watch on as the surviving original X-Men try and quell the insurgent 198.

Keeping up with the news from the front lines of the Marvel war, read up with the Daily Bugle Civil War Newspaper Special.

Like the Hoff and K.I.T.T. it's a guy and his car to save the day. Chuck Dixon and Timothy Green II handle the drive with a new hero from DC Comics in the pages of Rush City.

Also out from DC, the team of Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti with Daniel Acu?a charge with Uncle Sam And The Freedom Fighters. Miniseries showcasing the skills of a government task force known as SHADE.

Richard Starkings and Moritat take the walking beasts and shove them through Image in Elephantmen. Scratch that itch if you're into hippos.

Simon Furman and Don Figueroa roll out with Transformers: Stormbringer from IDW Publishing. A mini series set to unlock a dark chapter in the history of Cybertron.

The Sadhu from Virgin Comics by Gotham Chopra and Jeevan Kang. Where the lesson for life sees a mystic and obscure martial art enter the fray.

Last week it was Mayday Parker aka Spider-Girl. This week, it's Sara Pezzini taking hold of the mammoth Witchblade #100. Ron Marz, Mike Choi and Adriana Melo deliver the blade from Top Cow with a swag (4) of variant covers from the likes of Marc Silvestri, Michael Turner and Keu Cha.

 

 

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