Lucifer #51:
It's almost last call for God's creation, as the absentee landlord called Yahweh's name begins to fade from every atom everywhere. The archangel Michael has an impromptu family meeting at the home of one of the Endless, a homicide trial ends up getting decided in Lucifer's creation, and Bergelmir and Jill Presto have a few unexpected and unpleasant visitors. Another good issue for Carey and his supporting cast of Peter Gross and Ryan Kelly, but admittedly a bit insular. Sure, I know Jill Presto and Elaine Belloc's story, but I've been on this ride for a while.

Captain Marvel #24:
It's all over now. Captain Marvel solves the problem of Ely and Marlo's illness in one, disturbing twist. The good Captain is truly not a well man, and the really grim twist on the end of the story -- and the series -- is ... well, it affected me. It's a lot. In a real sense of continuity or the larger world, it's nothing, but in terms of the character it's crossing a Rubicon that can't be uncrossed, ideologically. Truly a run that will be spoken of in the same breath with David's run on X-Factor and Incredible Hulk.

Human Target #11:
Another done-in-one story brings Christopher Chance home -- both to his own face and to Los Angeles, and the complicated relationship with the widow of a man he impersonated. Of course, things go awry in the direction of gunfire and grimaces, since it's quite possible the Human Target is only happy when it rains. There's a fun little bit of impersonation madness where Christopher serves up some just desserts, and once again Milligen and Chiang turn in some high-quality work. This week is going well so far ...

Daredevil #61:
Jump from the Read Pile. Now, I've been reading Bendis' Daredevil without buying it for some time. To be honest, there's not a lot in this issue that would have really caught my attention. However, one passage spoke to me personally, so I was almost forced to buy it. Matt Murdock describes a lot of the madness in his life, and then talks about how he wants to punch someone really, really badly. In the face. Why? (Well, why this time?) Because the only thing on this planet Earth that I felt one hundred percent good about was the fact that I finally found a woman who would actually found a woman who would actually marry me and love me and stand by me through all of this. And now I know I haven't." A little more than a year ago I had the same realization, and my financial picture is still reflecting it. It was just too ill to leave in the store. It's an okay issue, but it had one particular point that made me buy it. Bendis knows how to hit a wide variety of emotions, and this was one I hadn't seen him do before.

Outsiders #13:
Jump from the Read Pile. Another fairly average issue (although the dead corporate exec part was pretty witty) that leapt into my hands due to an inspired monologue by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana. When talking to Mammoth (who's a lot dumber than I remember him), Sivana says, "You all have to realize that ... well ... we're ... just no damn good. We're evil. Each of us for a variety of reasons, whether it's greed, narcissism, a chemical imbalance, poor upbringing, you name it. We have felt the need to do what is commonly thought of as bad. I gotta tell you, campers, when you accept that fact, it's all so much easier. Certainly a lot less stressful." Sivana is firing on all cyllinders this month, like the Wizard in Fantastic Four (we'll get to that in a bit). Little else to recommend, but that passage spoke to me, personally.

Okay, that's enough self-disclosure for one week.

She-Hulk #4:
Done in one, Spider-Man finally gets a chance to take on Jolly J. Jonah Jameson -- in a court of law. In a legal manuever inspired by She-Hulk's mortal co-worker, who was once saved by Spidey and has loved masked vigilantes ever since. However, Spidey ends up suing Peter Parket too, which makes it every possible brand of crazy. Fun stuff with a splash of action and Jonah Jameson in a chicken suit. Wit very consistent and apropos art, leaning from hero-esque to comical, Slott is making this series a winner.

Birds of Prey #68:
Very, very good work -- Gail Simone has definitely found her niche, and Ed Benes is doing not just the cheesecake but the close up detail and backgrounds flawlessly. The new "team" hits some growing pains as Huntress, Oracle and Black Canary argue about who slept with who and other such personal dramas. Toss in some sage advice from Jim Gordon, a smidge of smackdown from Wonder Woman, and a first date with Huntress and a "normal guy," well this issue is a winner all the way around, and a fun confectionary treat that occassionally has something meatier.

Gotham Central #20:
Jervis Tetch, the Mad Hatter, killed an entire high school baseball team more than a decade ago. Nobody knows why, and until recently, nobody knew he was involved. The last detective on the case was Gotham City Police legend (both famous and infamous) Harvey Bullock. This issue does a great job of reintroducing Bullock, setting the stage for new readers, and advancing the plot. Ed Brubaker keeps this title levitating at a fairly high level of skill and craft, with the always solid Michael Lark on artwork, depicting Gotham in gritty angles and tense moments. This is one of the most consistent and entertaining titles on the stands, and this issue is no exception.

Grendel: Devil's Reign #2:
I consider this work like encyclopaedia entries for Grendel afficionados. Heavily entrenched in the lore of the beloved mythos, this story barely pauses to catch its breath, let alone let in an "outsider." I, however, don't care, being one of the initiated. More than wonderful for me, and closely (I mean, like, hanging on his lapel) following the rise of Orion Assante to global dominance. I love it, but I can recognize many won't.

Buy Pile Breakdown: An expensive but very entertaining week, with two jumps, and that's just freakin' impressive.

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

Seaguy #2:
Wow. The sheer crazy contained in this book is ... well, it's remarkable. It's not terribly coherent, and it doesn't really connect with me emotionally, but it is indeed crazy. And to be honest, really well depicted -- the crisp art and uncomplicated backgrounds make the story legible even when the ideas contained therein are not. I'm not quite sure what Grant Morrison is on, nor whether or not he should share, but it's indeed a strange and wonderful trip to take. Unlike the dense and unforgiving The Filth, the craziness here is all in good fun, and it's pretty clear that even if somebody gets hurt, it's not all that big a deal. Harmless, if slightly incoherent, fun.

Runaways #16:
Wow. This has to be the best issue I didn't buy this week. Why didn't I buy it? Man ... anyway, the reveal at the end of this issue will literally shock and amaze regular readers of this title, and there's plenty of meat to the story to even make a new reader go, "really?" The Pride comes face to face with their prodigals, and the results are ... well, they're surprising. Well crafted from scripting to plot to art and colors. That does it -- I'm going back to buy this one, and I'm on board.

Authority #13:
My notes say "convoluted and unfun," as the Authority take down a four year old global menace. Not that the menace has been at work for four years, but that it's a four year old who is the menace. Anyhoo, I found it just really stiff, and I won't be sorry to see this guy leave for Brubaker's eventual run.

Fantastic Four #514:
On the surface this is a dumb, pointless super villain revenge story, one based in a kind of myopic megalomania that just doesn't seem to make any sense. However, if you're willing to accept that as a conceit of the genre, there's some really smart storytelling here, with a potential love interest for Johnny Storm that ends up to be nothing but trouble and some very good interaction and dialogue between the new Frightful Four. Waid's keeping me reading, if not buying, and this run has succeeded in doing that much, whereas nobody else has in decades.

Challengers of the Unknown #1:
My notes say, "Too stylistic to be Manchurian." There's a group of people who don't know each other, who are characterized in soundbites and short brush strokes, who are bound by ... something. Like a really repetitious pop song, the story uses one narrative device over and over like a ball-peen hammer to try and establish a mood, but does nothing but make each iteration rob the last of resonance. I was left not caring for the characters or what happens to them, despite a really amazing level of craft in terms of some very small dialogue moments and visual storytelling choices.

Ultimate Fantastic Four #7:
I am very glad to read this issue. Warren Ellis, clearly, has sat down and thought about some things. First of all, he's made Sue Storm a more interesting character in a matter of pages than she's been in a matter of years. Second, his balance on the Rees-Sue dynamic is like a finely choreographed ballet, wondrous to watch. Third, there's some really mad, Metabarons level ideas in here that just have me boggled (Reed has no internal organs and doesn't need to eat?) and kept my interest fully. Weird science, indeed. Of course, it's also very smartly laid out with sparse but smart choices by Stuart Immoment, finally free from his "did anybody remember to ink this?" period from Thor and Superstar.Worth looking at, and if anybody could make me buy an Ultimate title, it just might be Warren Ellis.

JSA #62:
The JSA up against every soul ever damned by the Spectre. Sounds interesting? It's not. The wholly anticlimactic, "deus ex Hal Jordan" resolution made me yawn, with the dreaded Spirit King (who was kind of interesting, using Jay Garrick's body as a weapon) disposed of in, what, two panels? Blah.

Cable/Deadpool #4:
This title is finding its legs, with some really funny moments from both leads (including Cable wielding a "Liefeld XS" brand gun, a real hoot) and some great action (most of the issue was a fight). The pacing is still a bit off, and too little happened this month to recommend this issue, but it's getting there.

Monolith #5:
TI've decided to stop reading this title, because while I can recognize the clearly outstanding craft -- in terms of solid pacing, good dialogue and good art -- I'm just not interested in any of it. It's a good comic, but not for me, so it'd be unfair for me to read it and say I don't like it for my own idiosyncratic reasons (unlike everything else I hate, which I hate for qualitative reasons).

Thor #81:
Oeming knows the tone of Thor, he wears it like a fine jacket. Andrea de Vito also has a good handle on the scope and balance of panels featuring things both great and small. I'm not sure inserting Cap and Iron Man here were the best choices, ringing a little false, but the general vibe is good after that distasteful Jurgens ending to the "Gods and Men" storyline.

Plastic Man #7
It wasn't funny. One note -- Woozy Winks on a date -- played out for a whole issue. Next.

Wolverine: The End #4:
More of the same "I'll tell you the truth after all the lies" drama Wolvie has been doing for years. Next.

Transformers Generation One Volume 3 #5:
More giant robot smackdown, as the action keeps pounding while the plot manages to take a step or two. There's still too much mystery as to why, and if you don't know the characters intimately (which I do, but still) why you should care. The TF six-issue-runs have always tried to jam in too much at the end, and I've found that a detriment, but gosh it's pretty.

Spider-Man: Doctor Octopus: Year One #1:
The central thesis of this issue -- that America is indeed eating its young, and making monsters of its best and brightest in school hallways and playgrounds -- was indeed worth noting. The overly rounded art didn't help the case, carrying as much pathos as a thimble, but the idea that these circumstances (which I'll admit have some parallels in my own life) could make a man so misanthropic as to strike out at the world ... well, to quote Chris Rock, "I'm not saying I condone it, but I understand." Interesting reading.

Read Pile Roundup: Despite Plastic Man, Wolverine: The End, JSA and some other rough spots, a really interesting group of reads.

So, How Was It This Week? Combine good reads with two jump books and some really solid purchases and you've got a week of comics that deserves not just a SportsCenter clip, but a whole special hosted by Stuart Scott.

The Buy Pile is a weekly collection of comic reviews done by Hannibal Tabu (www.operative.net), originally published at UGO.com.