Hero Squared #1:
Jump from the Read Pile. I was already leaning towards this title when I saw "Giffen" and "DeMatteis" were involved, but after reading the first seven pages, I was all in. Mixing the whimsical humor the pair became known for in the likes of Formerly Known as Justice League with a kind of mature sense of modern ennui, the dialogue almost levitates, and Joe Abraham's artwork shines in most panels (being merely serviceable in the few missteps). This is a really good comic book, both in entertainment value (there were credible serious and funny moments in the clever "law of conservation of characters" plot), craftsmanship and conception. The story -- hero from alternate universe is shoved into meta-free one, to find himself a much different kind of man due to one chance occurrence -- is good enough to allow the writers tons of room to explore and find interesting ground. Very happy with this purchase.

Captain America and The Falcon #11:
The Modok I've known and mocked makes a slight comeback, as little girls are killed, questions about Sam's d/evolution into a nouveau "Snap" Wilson continue, and the scenery keeps up a special effects budget that would make Jim Cameron blanch. Joe Bennett continues his amazing work, leaving the personal spaces of past issue for grandeur and spectacle with no signs of a problem adjusting. Marvel's smartest title does nothing to lose the title, and I really like this characterization of Cap -- excellent in action, less credible in personal moments. Fine work, and a fine purchase -- and how cool was that giant Modok shot?

Fables #33:
There's a heartbreaking moment for Snow White here when a mystery gets solved, but most interesting to me is the woeful (and potentially fatal) mishandling of things by the "new administration" running Fabletown (such as Beast's shortsightedness as sheriff. Even cooler, you get a chance to see Bigby's dad, a dashing (if somewhat hirsute) old chap if ever there was one. Not a big issue, but one with a really big moment that I found very effective, so thumbs up from me.

Gambit #6:
Huge jump from the Read Pile. I swear, somewhere, in front of the glow of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, John Layman is laughing at me. This issue of Gambit is, in the same way Hero Squared is, just a really well done comic book. The story -- a capstone for an ongoing six-part tale -- is a complete chapter in and of itself that very craftily weaves Remy's ability to chatter (he has three things to say, pay attention) with the culmination of things, so as to provide an equally entertaining experience for a new reader (you could climb on board here and be on solid footing) while giving readers who've stuck with the title some real wonderful Easter eggs (say, every panel with Wolverine, the final fate of rival thief Jessup, and the disposal of the ridiculously powerful Inficio Aquilus deck of demonic tarot cards). Look ... I don't buy X-titles, so it's hard for me to even express how strange it is for me to be purchasing this one. But I can't deny it -- this is a really good issue that I'm proud to own.

She-Hulk #11:
Back in form since last issue, Titania's mystery benefactor learns exactly why most teachers never teach all they know, with another great moment from Awesome Andy (I would so buy a mini about him) and some great tying up of loose ends, making sense of virtually every She-Hulk appearance since the "Red Zone" storyline in Avengers. On the bad side (for the characters), the superhuman law offices where Jennifer works have definitely seen better days, and all of Jen's newfound power may not be enough to take on an Infinity Gem. A great issue with something at stake for everybody involved, good stuff.

Spider-Man/Human Torch #1:
Jump from the Read Pile. I'm really scared that Marvel is returning, in some ways, to the horrible practices of the early '90s ... and yet I'm buying more Marvel product than ever. What does that say about me? Anyway, She-Hulk writer Dan Slott kicks it old school with a "ten years ago" one sho story about two characters I actively dislike. The fact that they both sort of take it on the chin is something of a comfort to me, having bought this, but I just can't deny the really amusing and entertaining work done here. F'r instance -- Spider-Man's first encounter with Paste-Pot Pete is one of the best and most logical Spider-Man scenes I've ever seen in quite some time (and using a Giffen-esque nine panel grid to great effect). Imagine if Stan Lee hadn't completely jumped the shark -- he'd be writing comics just like this. The addition of Ty Templeton on pencils and Nelson on inks turning in really well-done artwork that mimics the styles of the past (right down to F. Serrano's retro coloring styles) while keeping the crisp, high production values we've come to expect. I really enjoyed this issue, and that's just impossible to beat.

Buy Pile Breakdown: Three jumps from the Read Pile and Marvel dominating the stack. I had to look down and see if there was a "Bizarro Hannibal #1" sign hanging from my neck. Very good week of buys.

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

Angel Town #3:
The jam-packed series-turned-mini starts to find its footing here (this is why I don't buy Vertigo minis, they can never get the pacing right) as things start to clarify around the missing and more mysterious basketball player that everybody in town is trying to find. I like the feel of the book, looking at Los Angeles in the terms that, say, director Michael Mann would. It just is getting bad direction from editing and it's messing with the work, keeping me from recommending or buying it.

Punisher #16:
Bang bang bang bang bang. Frank Castle does what he does best, and Nick Fury continues his inconceivable affinity for hookers (if I was the world's most dangerous and important spy, how bad would it look for me to have to pay to get laid, especially with all the spandex-clad hotties in S.H.I.E.L.D.?). The Russians throw in a surprise I would never have expected and Frank has to deal with it while trying to safeguard a prepubescent bioweapon. He's have been better off without his Special Forces babysitter, but that's the feds for you. Close to the mark, but just barely grazing its temple.

Bloodhound #7:
Speaking of tough guys, I decided to check back in on this after one of my contemporaries suggested it was worth a look. It's solidly okay, a middle-of-the-road read where (in this issue) the prison-held title character is under attack from a mystery puppetmaster who wants him dead. Evincing all of the atmosphere of noirish fun like Mel Gibson's Payback, it simply lacks the narrative snap to make it work. Like the leaden humor of Alpha Flight, it simply doesn't make the mark.

Thunderbolts #4:
Drop from the Buy Pile. When I saw that this was a crossover issue with the high-selling and slightly subversive "Enemy of the State" storyline in Wolverine (and in the last few years, Black Panther was "Enemy of the State" twice, Iron Man was once, and now Logan ... can we get a new Will Smith movie passed around the Marvel offices, sheesh), I decided, "maybe let's read this one." Good idea -- instead of the normal stuff that makes the title work, we got soapy melodrama with Songbird in a hospital and the "less" reformed 'Bolts making like frat boys itching for spring break. All this to background some of the Hydra madness that's been running as a subplot thus far. Bad dramatic choice, but I'll check in next month.

Simon Spector #1:
Aside from the fact that the Black lead character was fascinating, I liked this because it champions individual willpower and intelligence as a kind of super power in and of itself. The pulp underpinnings are merely icing on that cake. However, by moving so fast inside the character's brain, it's hard to make it work outside, where we're reading it. Warren Ellis, Jacen Burrows ... I'm surprised I left this at the store, but I did, as it again just missed the mark by millimeters.

Angel Stomp Future #1:
I'm a humongous fan of Transmetropolitan and this reminded me of it, in a not-so-good way. The lead character (who is never named and may not be spoken to by anyone else in the entire issue) rants, like Spider Jerusalem used to do. However, there's no strong supporting cast to play off of -- no other "characters" worth mentioning at all. Spouting mad ideas about memes as weapons and ... hang on, I wrote this bit down, it reflects some of my own thinking: "the horrible truth is that the future is going to be just like this ... it's only the details and the consumer goods that change ... the scope of your experience changes, but the essentials stay the same." I hear myself, talking about how much better the pop stars of "my day" were than today, just like my parents did, just like their parents did. Anyway, back to the issue, this rant -- even where I agree with it -- does not a comic book make. It's not exactly entertaining, despite the fact that artist Juan Jose Ryp (in the parlance of my people) "drew his ass off" here, depicting some amazing perspective and character shots. Given that I already subscribe to Warren Ellis' listserv and read his site pretty regularly (and he actually threatened me personally recently, which made me very happy), I don't need to spend money to watch him rant too.

Aquaman #26:
You might suspect that an issue you missed if you pick this up, or as a new reader you might be completely confused. The latter is actually true. For reasons that are not explained at all, the sunken metropolis of Sub Diego has fallen under the tyrannical watery rule of Aquaman, and his name ain't Arthur. I literally went back to the stands to look at last issue -- Aquaman not able to do anything about drugs -- and wondered what happened. There's an off-panel switch that's crucial to this story that I never saw, and neither will you. That error sends this whole thing listing off course and sinking, smoke roiling from its every cracked surface, beneath the waves.

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes #5:
The Zemo thing is still screwing with Cap as (apparently) Jarvis recruits Hawkeye to be one of the Avengers. Yeah, "huh?" This issue maintains the standard set, good, but not good enough to spend money on.

Gotham Central #27:
The Josie Mac/Catwoman story closes down in a great procedural piece, but artist Jason Alexander (not the guy from Seinfeld ... I think) is no Michael Lark, and the lopsided angles and inconsistent facial work just drove me nuts. Not as bad as Jon Proctor drawing Gun Theory, but close. Still watching ...

Marvel Knights 4 #14:
My notes have two words: "Sad and creepy," as Alicia Masters must deal with her villainous stepfather and his plans to mutilate Sue Storm. I'm often reluctant to watch Law & Order: Special Victims Unit because the subject matter creeps me out, and this issue put me in a similarly uncomfortable place.

Nightwing #101:
Chuck Dixon is back from his Floridan adventure, and taking Nightwing back to the time he set down the mantle of Boy Wonder. I, naturally, don't care, and little here could change that. However, the whole thing is being told, by the modern Nightwing to the modern Batman, as a way of explaining a point about the Bat's failures. I'm somewhat interested in finding out what that point is. But not much.

Marvel Team-Up #4:
Te continuing storyline, told through a series of team-ups of Marvel heroes, hits a speed bump conceptually and makes up for it by bringing in some really interesting story points. The "evil" Tony Stark from Sliders, er, Exiles shows up (he's that world's Doctor Doom), beats the hell out of the FF, steals a bunch of stuff from himself (i.e. the Marvel Universe Tony Stark), rushes past the Hulk (who really only cameos here) and generally shows you how an evil genius can really cause some havoc if they don't have any real hangups (like, say, over killing a college classmate -- yes, I'm talking to you, Victor). Fun, but really "chapterish" -- I'd have loved to seen this whole thing as a collected edition, the first few pages would have sold me, and the huge cast would have quited any doubts I'd have had.

Green Arrow #46:
This comic book was stupid. Now, I say lots of things are stupid, but I need to be clear here on why this is stupid. While reviewing the last issue, I said, "As soon as I stopped laughing (and the uniform is actually kind of cool), I got sad. After all these years, we're back to Speedy? Is she gonna be a Titan? Argh." This month? She joins the Titans. Not by choice either, which makes it even more stupid. If that wasn't enough, a new villain is introduced named High Rise. Imagine Marvel's Machine Man, but put a Love Boat-styled uniform jacket and hat on him and color that gear red. Then, on top of it, add guns to his arms and make him really, dangerously stupid. How many panels would you think it takes to whack a character like this? Seven? Five, I think. So by the time Ollie tricked Mia into going to Titans Tower (and then dumping her there, so he can get back to sleeping with every woman in the spandex set he runs across), I was so done. Really tiresome work.

Beta Ray Bill: Stormbreaker #1:
Beta Ray Bill is saved from the end of Asgard, shown at the tail end of Thor and sent back to his people ... just in time to stand before a world-devouring "god" from their pantheon who turns out to just be an old friend of Norrin Radd who keeps cosmic beings on his speed dial. He's even got a new errand girl (seing as how Johnny Storm can't keep a job), named Stardust who doesn't do anything interesting. Add a base betrayal of Bill by the leaders of his peopleand you've got a lot going on. Good stuff, I'll agree, but I didn't really have a reason for wanting to see Bill's race saved (they seem like shmucks, as portrayed here, and I remember a comic book years ago when they forced him to set aside the hammer as every moron with a superiority complex tried to take his place), I didn't really have any interest in yet another visual shtick from the World Devourer, and Bill seems like too nice a guy to deserve all of this drama. Maybe his homeworld will get eaten so he can be a wandering cosmic adventurer. That'd be cool, since he wouldn't whine like Silver Surfer used to do.

100 Bullets #110:
I saw the character Dizzy on the cover and had to at least read this, as she was one of my favorite parts of the title back when I read it regularly. As with so many situations, following a pretty woman led me astray. First of all, there's a bit here in a flashback that's an exact copy of a Frank Miller bit that also happens to be the opening sequence to the Sin City movie. That's no good. Overall, it read more like an exercise in style over substance to me. I'm gonna leave this alone for another several months and see if it learns from the X-Files mistake and really addresses the "continuity" story (or, I dunno, at least hands somebody a case of 100 bullets).

Ultimates Volume 2 #2:
The ending felt sort of rushed, the Ultimate X-Men made a really smart cameo, and every panel with Bruce Banner made perfect sense. The centerpiece, however -- Ultimate Cap staring down Ultimate Thor, ready to throw down -- went a lot smarter than I expected, and now I also really like Ultimate Thor (the fact that the title never takes an authoritative stance on whether he is a god or just plain crazy is also quite excellent). If not for the really uneven pace, this coulda been a contender, but I expect things will all make more sense when collected.

JLA #110:
Masquerading as the Justice League, the Crime Syndicate of Amerika make really shabby heroes, with their Power Ring and Johnny Quick almost getting their faces pounded in by -- wait for it -- the Rainbow Raiders. I know, I know. Anyway, the only good bits were between Owlman (who eschewed taking on the mantle of the Bat in favor of pulling strings) and Superwoman, who are as much adversaries as teammates to their other anti-matter universe cohorts.

District X #9:
The uglier (and I mean that literally, the grotesque shmoe on the cover is the McGuffin here) Gotham Central-esque police procedural stuff gets better with great character work on the second lead Izzy and continued rock-solid artwork (which is a little too good on the aforementioned McGuffin, which looked like killer snot with teeth). But yeah, I can watch Law & Order for free, and it's still better than this.

JSA #69:
The JSA have gone back in time, and they're nowhere near as ready for it as they thought. Stargirl's results are so sad and poor, I won't even spoil them for you, and Jakeem Thunder has a tender moment with his predecessor. The very realistic problems of Mister Terrific in the segregated past rang a little personal chord for me, and this issue almost worked, save for my lingering belief that Johns is done. Watching with interest, suddenly, even though I remember that the ultimate villain is a time traveling Nazi. Nazis as villains should have been retired at the turn of the millennium.

Majestic #1:
Back in the Wildstorm Universe ... and possibly alone, as all the non-plant life on Earth has been stolen by something that left some mean-spirited mechanical watchdogs. Not much story here, and I think Majestic has been powered down a little (which is a shame -- his power was a lot of his appeal for me) as he seems to have trouble with some pretty basic stuff. Oh, Superman and the Eradicator are here too, but they leave quickly.

Pulse #7:
Jessica Jones is super emotional here as Luke Cage goes missing and nobody wants to talk. Seems the entire media world is willing to look the other way when Nick Fury is involved (and yet he still has to pay to get laid), so Jessica can't find any answers about the wounded and missing father of her baby. The issue has some loose ties to the tail end of the "Dissassembled" event, which is a large part of its downfall.

Action #823:
Remember how stupid I said Green Arrow was this week? This Chuck Austen-fueled issue of Action Comics is likewise stupid. This Strong Guy knockoff called (seriously) "Repo Man" is beating the hell out of Clark, Conner and the Kent farm ... until he suddenly just powers down. I have no idea how he lost is powers, or why. Maybe it was a temporary thing, explained in a previous (and forgotten) issue. No idea. More questions than answers, and only interesting high-octane art as a saving grace.

Toyfare #91:
First of all, there should not be a Ravage Transformers toy that turns into a robot with a cat's head. That's dumb. The fact it turns into a Corvette, I don't care one way or another. But either make it a cat or make it a bipedal humaniform robot. This isn't some totem-based culture where a guy can walk around with an animal's head. Transform into one, sure, but just have the head of one? That's dumb ... and admittedly not the fault of the makers of Toyfare. But it bthered me, and none of the comedy was very memorable this month, so there that is.

Read Pile Roundup: I'm leaning towards calling it a loss, since "maybe" was the best anybody did, and we had a fallen title from the Buy Pile.

So, How Was It This Week? Three jumps and solid buys make it a good week, even if the margin of victory isn't very big.

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