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.

Elektra #29:
The cold, detached attitude that Elektra Natchios displays is her greatest asset, and the real expert note that Robert Rodi has introduced into this book. Taking a page from the Rucka treatment of Wonder Woman and the early Ennis Punisher, Elektra appears very rarely in her own book, but always to maximum effect. Every issue is strictly business -- Elektra goes to kill somebody -- and that kind of single-minded determination has (to borrow the oft-used interview cliche) stripped the character down to essentials and made this one of my favorite reads every month. The plot -- small Asian nation besieged by religious/political rebels led by a vastly charismatic cult leader -- fits perfectly into Elektra's MO, and his method of inserting her is predictable only because we know she's Elektra. The quick characterization of supporting roles (or "fodder" from a certain point of view) is done well also.

Empire #4:
For the very first time, the reader gets a look at the earlier years of the Empire, as "protagonist" (and I use the word loosely) Golgoth reminisces on his wife and the slow rise of his empire. The character of Delfi is fleshed out more, as she begins to realize the dangerous game she plays, and love makes people do all kinds of insane things, with deadly consequences. This title has never let me down for intriguing, involved entertainment and this month is no different.

Formerly Known as Justice League #5:
G'nort and Manga Khan are back. If you were never a fan of the Giffen-era League, that means absolutely nothing to you and most of the jokes will fall flat. If you remember those halcyon days of the early 90s, this issue will send you giggling hysterically again. The growth of Blue Beetle's character is the most remarkable one, for me. Mary Marvel is shown for all the power and uselessness her archaic personality can bring to bear, and L-Ron almost fills in for Oberon's sense of exasperation at how goofy everything that happens seems to be. I love this title, but it's so insular you could line your attic with it.

Crimson Dynamo #3:
Every issue, I expect this title to implode, and it keeps on getting better. Hapless Russian teen Gennady is in so far over his head that he probably can't see light anymore, as the Crimson Dynamo armor continues its relentless march back towards its helmet in Moscow (at Gennady's house). Meanwhile the international intel community draws ever closer, looking for a new edge, a new toy, a new resource. The tension is played well against the teen angst, Gennady's mother turns in an amazing performance and I am now a confirmed buyer of this book. I'm just as surprised as you.

G.I. Joe Frontline #16:
Displaying the kind of charm he often showed on the TV series, Cobra Commander spends more time being mercurial than plotting world domination, and it again comes back to bite Cobra in the, er, tail. Money solves all problems and Destro makes some interesting plays in this self-contained, fun shoot-em-up. The Joes serve as plot devices -- there to blast when they have to. Purely confectionary entertainment.

Y: The Last Man #16:
The monkey's loose, and he's found by a traveling troupe of actresses, bringing entertainment to the likes of Northlake, Nebraska (who really would prefer re-enactments of daytime dramas to the Gilbert & Sullivan sounds of the theatre). The first part of a two-chapter story called "Comedy & Tragedy," one can only assume that bad things are gonna happen next. Vaughn works the material slowly, and while Paul Chadwick's pencils are good, I miss the clean feel of Pia Guerra already. A solid issue, not a great one, as there are many questions left unanswered from previous storylines. That hangs over this seemingly light tale and robs it of consequence.

Buy Pile Breakdown: Frontline made the jump -- never know what that book's gonna do -- and overall it was a fairly entertaining, if somewhat low impact, week on the Buy Pile.

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

Crux #30:
There's a new sheriff in Atlantis, and he's set to run afoul of Capricia's ragtag bunch of survivors. With the Negation at the door, Atlantis' overbearing populace turns on itself, and the "ninja" threat is a badly done amusement park. Is it time for the company-wide crossover yet, to whack a lot of these people?

Brath #9:
After spending issue after issue dealing with complicated tribal and imperial politics, Brath gets down to business, negotiating with his spirit guides to get his Gladiator on. Sadly, the action sequences lack any sense of grandeur or kinetic energy, and moved by so fast I could have missed them. As I've said before, this book is way smarter than I want a "barbarian" book to be.

JLA-Z #2:
Remember when you could get New Edition and Five Star pin-ups, plus fluffy "profiles" and "articles" from magazines like Right On? This is the superhero version. Empty, lacking detail and vapid in every possible way.

Masters of the Universe: Power of Fear #1:
Lame. Introduce new character, check. Use crappy "face your fears" bit from every telepath's story, check. Beat new character with protagonist's inner gumption, check. Re-establish status quo, check. If Skeletor can snatch warriors from anywhere in spacetime, why grab one guy with a skin problem instead of getting, oh, several thousand and hurling them at Eternia's protectors en masse? Morons ...

Alias #28:
The last few pages -- especially the treatment of Scott Lang, the use of Jean Grey as a somewhat foreshadowed deus ex machina, and Luke Cage all around -- sickens me. The quickie ending ... blah. I looked up from this issue and said, "Bendis just punched me in the face! That bastard!" Despite an amazing opening sequence, a real let down.

Batman: City of Light #2:
Batman, paralyzed by fear. Blah. Bruce is whinier than I've ever seen him, which implies to me that the Pander Brothers (writers/artists) forgot that he is, clinically, a sociopath. I should stop reading this ...

The First #36:
Big drama, big fights, big talk ... signifying what? Better as a soap opera than an action comic, the one "surprise" at the end is crafty but strangely logical, given the book's general direction and plot. It just, as always, took a long time to get there (although I'll admit the last few pages felt perfectly paced and the character in question's emotional response was flawless).

Supreme Power #4:
"Just Imagine JMS Creates the DC Universe." That basic theme continues as Nighthawk makes his appearance looking awfully ridiculous, honestly. The racial overtones that Stracynski adds to the Batman mythos are ... well, I don't know what I think of them yet, and that says something by itself. That the character's motivations couldn't move me to one conclusion or another. In any case, the "loss" of Hyperion's parents brings to mind the Alfie O'Meagan drama way back in Larry Hama's Nth Man (doesn't anybody else see how that's gonna end up?) as Hyperion's usefulness always hangs by the most delicate of threads. The pacing, art and craft of it are all solid, but the work seems bereft of real emotional impact, a grandiose elseworlds experiment for financial gain and little artistic merit. Too fast in small spaces, too "decompressed" as a whole, and too wracked with cliches to matter either way.

Route 666 #17:
I don't believe I'm the audience for "horror" comics, as this seems like a normal action/suspense book with supernatural underwear. Cassie continues her spiritial quest to ... heck, I don't even remember what she's doing. But she's on a road trip, she has a "normal" sidekick, she almost gets killed by the equivalent of Quakers ... yeah, gonna stop reading this one for a while too.

Savage Dragon #112:
If my money situation were a little better, this book would be on the Buy Pile. Solid internal continuity, excellent balance between laughs and action, steadily advancing plots ... go Larsen, it's your birthday!

Thanos #2:
Starting out with having no Thanos on the cover was bad, but this "I'll be good, honest" Thanos is almost as funny as some of his predecessors (my favorite recent Thanos was how Peter David handled him near the end of the last volume of Captain Marvel). Warlock's crabby, which is no fun to read, and Galactus is up to something. Vaguely interesting, but Starlin has gone so wrong so often recently, I'm scared to think "it might not suck" for fear of seeing Thanos (one of my favorites) end up in a dress or something.

Action Comics #809:
I am amazed to report that -- aside from some logical problems which can be explained by the fact it happens in the DC universe -- this issue of Action was entertaining, Superman was less stupid than I normally expect him to be, and this light-hearted "mystery" was very smartly done. I sometimes forget that Kelly can be good.

Tom Strong #23:
Moore is out, and you can tell. This issue gets where it's going, but wanders like a mad bastard getting there. Mmm.

Sentinel #9:
I see why people like this book -- excellently done teen angst, good action, interesting manga-influenced art -- but it's not my bag. The crisis of character that the lead has is exacerbated here, and the forces hunting him draw closer. Good for those who are into it -- much like Formerly Known as Justice League -- but not for everybody.

Crossovers #19:
Another set of plot threads tied up, with new zaniness plotted for the future. The Crossovers draw ever closer to everybody knowing everything, and the kids manage to find young romance on the side. One fun book, and another victim of economics, as I'd buy this if I was in a better money place.

Authority #7:
I'm growing to hate Robbie Morrison's Authority, all confused and getting their butts handed to them every week. The "threats" they face, including this lame Church of Transcendence, could even be taken out by even the "scab" Authority in a heartbeat. Plus the art's goofy -- what's with the Doom Patroling of Sister Voice (not the latest Doom Patrol, the zany Vertigo-esque one)? Blah.

Wolverine: The End #1:
My notes say, "boring and retread," but I did get a good laugh out of the idea of Victor Creed finding Jesus (people always find Jesus -- does he get lost a lot? Maybe he needs a LoJack ...). The story offers nothing more than Weapon X leftovers mixed in an Origin stew. Yawn.

Powers #35
Ah, the boom years, when everybody had a book and things were zany. Starting in 1986, we see the development of power-dampening technology and see the seeds of our modern Christian Walker. This long-winded, Silver-Agey story is getting where it's going with style and gravitas ... just watch out for the huge naked panel on page two and three, hoo hah.

Detective Comics #788:
I used to love this title when Rucka was on, so I checked in. No need -- the story feels so familiar I called the ending before I got there, the art and coloring were dim and uninteresting, the villain a literal throwaway. Blah.

Demo #1:
Smart, textured, well thought out, but too little happened.

Wolverine #7:
Detective Logan is still on the case. One phone call to, oh, I dunno, almost anybody he knows could save him a ton of time. I hate that.

Arrowsmith #7:
I've figured this title out -- I'd love to read it as a pure novel. With the addition of art -- good art, admittedly, interesting art, but not evocative art -- it slows the story down. Had Busiek done this as a straight novel, I'd be anxious for the sequel. The room alloted by comic book format is too restrictive for a story of this caliber and detail.

Ultimate Spider-Man #49:
On my comic pusher's recommendation, I read this ... and Bendis has Spidey down cold. The banter, the decision making process -- flawless. Kingpin is very solid, but it's really the charisma of his Spider-Man that made this issue a real winner. If I didn't find Spider-Man insanely boring, I'd have bought this. The hype is well-deserved here.

Read Pile Roundup: It was a chore making it through this week.

A somewhat down week all around, despite some surprises (Action Comics, Thanos, Frontline) and good dependable stuff on the purchase side.