Every week I go to the comic book store (Comics Ink at Overland and Braddock in Culver City, CA, hey Steve and Jason!) and grab a lot of comics. I sort these into two piles -- the "buy" pile (things I intend to spend money on, most often a small pile) and the "read" pile (often huge, including lots of stuff I don't actually like but wanna stay well informed about). In no particular order, here's some thoughts about all that.

Y: The Last Man #15:
As they often do, things ended with a bang (truthfully they kind of middled with a bang), and things that many people wanted to happen did not. This very smart book, with insanely consistent artwork by Pia Guerra and Jose Marzan Jr., closed the "spaceman" storyline, neatly tying up loose ends like Israeli commando squads and backdoor presidential deals. Agent 355 continues to develop as an interesting and flawed heroine, and this book -- while not aspiring to the heights of Lucifer -- remains a gem in Vertigo's crown. Another issue I'm happy to own.

Noble Causes: Distant Relatives #2:
The soap opera scale gets ratcheted waaaaaay up as alternate dimensions come into play and everybody's got a doppleganger. I enjoy this book so much, and even with its clearly soap-opera tinted ideals, it's got action and fun to spare. Faerber is at his best, once again.

Reign of the Zodiac #2: NOTE: This title is from last week, I forgot to buy it.
I can almost figure out what's going on here. The chatter of sheer voices obscures the plot -- announced in previews, political wedding goes awry -- and Doran's artwork far outstrips Giffen's convoluted schemes. I'd kill for an annotations site, footnotes, pop-up video style assists, anything. Still, I can just barely make out the plot, and I like the feel of it, plus I'm starting to get a feel for which houses are represented how (I picked out a Capricorn person before he was "announced," which made me happy), so I'm in for at least one more issue ... I'm such a sucker for Giffen, dammit ...

Formerly Known as Justice League #4:
The "bwa-ha-ha"-ing is at a minimal as JSA vilainness Roulette (whose dialogue here is simply enchanting) almost leads to the death of Captain Atom (which would slow down things in the Superman universe, where he's now a bit player for Luthor) and Mary Marvel is still a girl gone wild. Well plotted, tons of great dialogue, some genuine snickers if not laughs, and a build up for Manga Khan next issue (if you don't know Manga Khan ... well ... he's funny and he's worth it, IMNSHO). I'm firmly on board. How can Giffen take me so high and leave me so confused in the space of two issues in one week? Argh ...

Queen & Country #18:
Minder madness in a former Soviet republic, and Greg Rucka balances it all on the head of a pin. I am not a huge fan of Carla Speed McNeil's artwork, but it's serviceable here in conveying a wide range of emotions (from lechery to discomfort) and her rougher textures near the end, showing the kineticism of the moment, are pretty good. This story is a little scattered -- with attention divided between two continents by virtually all the lead characters -- but it's still pretty enjoyable.

Astro City: Local Heroes #4:
As a fan of various legal shows like Law & Order, The Practice, Lyon's Den and the venerable L.A. Law, I found special glee in a defense attorney using the conventions of the super hero world to throw reasonable doubt into a court case. When he says, "Evil twins. From another dimension," while looking at the jury, you can just hear the sneering disdain in his voice, the subtle pauses. Busiek swung for the fences and hit this one out of the park, with always fantastic work by Brent Anderson on artwork. The mob angle is played at just the right volume, providing a small amount of external menace to the normal courtroom wrangling, showing the hazards of criminal law. Even the lead's strained home life is shown with delicacy and detail. I am so happy Astro City is on the stands, and even happier to have it in my collection.

Elektra #28
God help me, this issue made the jump. I've been reading Robert Rodi's work on Elektra with amazement -- after the tepid Codename: Knockout he'd irked me, but I found tons of chuckles in The Crossovers. In five issues he's made Elektra an almost elemental force, a character who only shows up for a few panels per issue, and it feels perfect. This standalone issue finishes up loose ends from the prior two story arcs (which you wouldn't have suspected were loose ends, another masterful writing feat) while clearing ground for Rodi to go wherever he wants. Like the original Ennis take on Punisher, Elektra is not a character who benefits from deep introspection nor nazel gazing. She kills people. Impressively. Rodi has nailed that fact page after page, and I have to say I am now a regular Elektra customer.

Buy Pile Breakdown: With an enthusiastic jump title, this week is a success. But doesn't Elektra look a little like Mad TV cast member Mo Collins in this cover? Huh?

Then there's the stuff on the "read pile" that I don't bring home ...

Alias #27:
Wow. Bendis continues to pull out all the stops on this no-holds-barred title, and the Purple Man goes from punchline to world class threat (makes me wonder what Department H is doing with his equally powerful daughter Persuasion). Protagonist Jessica Jones is being dragged through the ringer, with even her personal life at risk as the ghosts of her past squeeze her present dangerously. I gotta admit ... I'm gonna get every scrap of this should it be collected. I waited too long to see how good this book is, now I have to wait for trades (or track back issues).

Authority #6:
My notes have one word: "glum." A little too much like, well, everything else on the stands for my taste. Robbie Morrison again is able to hit all the right dance steps with none of the groove. I'm about ready to give up on this title.

Supreme Power #3:
All the things I loved about the early issues of Rising Stars are here, and the story is very smart. However, I keep feeling like I'm watching the "evil Kirk" episode of Star Trek and Superman is gonna come busting in wearing a goatee. I like what I'm seeing -- Frank's art work is very solid, and JMS made up for the cliche plot moments from last issue -- but I'm a long way from buying this stuff.

Batman: City of Light #1:
I read it and had no real emotional reaction. My notes say "whiny," as Batman spends most of the issue gazing meaninfully downwards. I'm not excited at all.

Avengers #70:
The best part of this was the interplay between T'Challa and Tony Stark, as the paint-by-numbers plot droned towards its inevitable conclusion (which actually sets the field for the new Iron Man story arc, which is more of the continuity work I enjoy). I've found Johns' work on this title derivative from the start, and this issue is no different. Even the fact that the two Black Avengers end up saving the day is an empty win, for me. Oh well.

Way of the Rat #17:
The pacing and action of this book are excellent, as Boon continues to goofily stumble his way through everything and the Silken Ghost becomes the Boba Fett of the book, stealing the show whenever she's on panel. The "hungry ghost" was very effective as well. Lots of great stuff here. If I was a little less broke, I might start buying this title again.

Powers #34:
Bendis' trip down memory lane continues with mob and Nazi busting action in the thirties. I'm sure all of this is headed somewhere, but it sure is taking its own sweet time getting there. Still, given the chat with Einstein, I did enjoy this issue more than any of the previous ones in this story arc -- maybe as it gets closer to the present, it works more for me. In any case, I'm still watching this one to see if the flower will bloom or keel over.

Robotech: Love & War #5 :
My notes have one word, "Lifeless." I own all of the Jack McKinney novelizations of the Robotech saga, which covers this period (Force of Arms if I remember correctly, details this specific episode in Robotech history). The backup feature, showing Little White Dragon, is just plain boring. Between the largely predictable artwork (even the grand video game battle was short sheeted into a few indistinct pages, with no note of the clamor it raised), and so little giant robot smackdown, I can't see myself paying for this book, or any of Wildstorm's Robotech output.

Savage Dragon #111:
Erik Larsen has got yer Silver Age right here. Down to the "last seen in issue blah blah" notes, this book is so much fun I'd almost pay for it. Heads getting bashed in, garish heroism, multidimensional wackiness -- it's like the "a" story for Noble Causes. Great fun for older readers, and harmless enough for neophytes as well.

Star Wars Tales #17:
When you have every single Sith on the cover, you expect great things. Don't. Since the Maul-Vader showdown several issues ago, this title has been running on fumes. A Han Solo short is the best thing in here, and Han is not terribly interesting. God I wish this was as good as those brave first few issues.

Action Comics #808:
Big surprise, Supes manages to not die. The "supergirls" talk they way out of a beating, caused by their own incompetence. God I hate the output of the Super-office. Blah.

Thor #69:
This title has gone full on Elseworlds, moving the action seventy or so years into the future, once again shattering the myths of today (check for Cap's broken shield, a staple of any post apocalyptic superhero dictatorship). Less interesting than the stories of the last storyline Spiral, set (ostensibly) in modern Marvel times, I still got some vague looks at Jurgens view of a Thor-tinted future. It can't help but end with an almost Bobby Ewing ending at this point (look it up). I'm preparing myself for a let down here.

Superman: Birthright #4:
If Superman could happen, simultaneously, at one time, this would be it. Mark Waid carefully delivers Smallville's aesthetics to Metropolis, as we see an almost Christopher Reeve-esque Clark Kent emerge, with Tom Welling's fingerprints all over him. Enjoyable and less stuffy than the last two issues.

Ultimate Six #2:
My notes say, "all hell predictably breaks loose." SHIELD gets suckered and all the bad guys break loose, but you'll be surprised at who they think will be the sixth member of their villainous cabal. The Ultimates, good soldiers all, bristle at the hypocrisy of their superiors and basically make a cameo here. Still worth reading, but not worth buying yet.

Read Pile Roundup: Steady going, just the regular major complaints and no major raves either, save the one jump to Purchase-land.

Overall, it would have to be said that things were good this week, and an announcement is still forthcoming regarding my public profile (you'll see why I had to hold off, soon enough).