Fables #34:
My retailer Steve was crowing about this issue as his favorite of the week, and I can see why. The wily Jack, as in "and the beanstalk," is loose with a truck full of treasure and runs amok on Hollywood like an immortal Chili Palmer. Mean spirited and self-indulgent in the spirit of Jay Mohr in Action (I've said it before, I'll say it again -- misunderstood visionary) this is really fun stuff, told as "testimony" by the Hollywood types who Jack met and used. Great work with guest art by David Hahn that's right on the money ... no pun intended.

Captain America & The Falcon #12:
I don't know why the Hulk is on a rampage in Singapore, and I don't care. Smacking around Modok makes it all worthwhile, as Captain America tries to referee, but the curve ball that Modok throws involving ol' Hulkster ... wow, that was smart (especially when it led to getting Reed Richards and Hank Pym involved). This issue resolved all dangling plot threads on Modok in such a satisfying way, it makes this one great comic. Add in Sam Wilson getting a very neat surprise, and this book's a winner.

Buy Pile Breakdown: Two great purchases ... and I had to buy a Twisted Toyfare Theatre to not feel like a bastard. Fantastic week of purchasing.

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

Punisher #17:
Frank is still alive (no surprise) and showing why a man of remarkable focus can overcome people with even slightly less determination. Of course, Frank (and Nick Fury) didn't know all the angles to play and got outmanuevered by government weasels, so Frank improvises by pulling a bigger gun than anybody expected. Gritty stuff that's digging quite a deep hole, so I'm interested to see how it plans to get out.

Vimanarama #1:
Retailer Steve kept steering people away from this book, and as they came in people asked me what I thought. "Steve told me it's probably really good if you've had a lot of drugs." Three people nodded and said, "sweet." That said, the story kind of muddles along before it gets a rush of splash pages and whips out what could have been mistaken for a mystical, ancient Justice League of India (you know, it may not be Indian influence, I may have misread that). The added twist of a fledgling relationship adds a relatable undercurrent, so I'm watching, but this already has the same "what the ..." feel of the deeply disappointing Seaguy, and Morrison's not gonna shnacker me to fuel his drug habit again.

Alpha Flight #12:
My notes simply read "really dumb and unfunny," as going out with a whimper would have been more of a thrill than this limp closeout. I suppose it could be said that all loose ends were tied up ... after a fashion. Eh. Comics like this make it easy for me to be "snarky" and "dismissive."

Gotham Central #28:
Rucka flies solo on a tense but dry procedural that shows Montoya's dad and theorizes that somebody special blew into town from Keystone ... and they're no tourist. Still working its way back to a groove, I think losing Michael Lark was a bigger deal than they expected.

Fantastic Four: Foes #2:
Kirkman has a much better grasp on the team and their dynamic now, leading Reed Richards to come to the same realization about criminals that Jor-el did. The pacing is zippy, I was completely thrown by the last page, and this title is really cute. It's not quite "wow" enough to get over the hump, but it's a good confection for fans of the property.

Aquaman #27:
Yeah, I have no idea what in the name of Jules Verne happened here. But by the end of the issue it all seemed moot, so I guess this issue and the last were kind of wastes of paper. I know, it's hard to be interesting in a submerged San Diego. Whatever.

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes #7:
An action-free issue which frames the inclusion of Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in a much more paranoid light. I find Tony Stark's double life particularly befuddling, but this issue was really talky. Eh.

Batman: The Man Who Laughed:
Ultimate Joker, a kind of origin issue. Right. Moving on ...

Young Avengers #1:
The last page tells you all you need to know about this lunacy ... which is a good thing and a bad thing simultaneously. It's a good looking issue, with some interesting quirks (and super powered people are just way too common in the New York area), but I don't care, and I don't know why you would either.

Breach #2:
When this Herdsman character showed up, all mystery and scorched bodies, I was thrown. I mean, this already wasn't a very explanatory issue, but between the clear Captain Atom DNA (the series started as a Bob Harrass pitch for the character that morphed, and to think the feds wouldn't learn not to do this sort of experiment after making Major Force happen ... well, sheesh). I'll repeat: I don't care, and I don't know why you would either.

Incredible Hulk #78:
I looked up after reading this issue and asked, "Am I having a stroke?" Peter David was once the master of the multiplicity of Bruce Banner's mind, and I think we're making a return visit. Hulk fights Hulk for ... well, why wouldn't a Hulk fight, I suppose, but I don't really know what's happening overall. It's possible I could look back on all of this in a few months and call it all brilliant, but as of now it's too obtuse to get the job done.

G.I. Joe Master & Apprentice Volume 2 #1:
Ninjas in love? Storm Shadow gets his own personal Scarlett and ... you know, untiil the last page, I'm not sure anything really happened. Eh.

Captain America #3:
Two major names from Cap's past end up on a body block, and I thought a few panels of Epting's work looked rushed. Interesting, though.

JLA #111:
The CSA is back and they're handling business. The JLA is on the ropes and on the run. This issue is almost wall-to-wall action, and thanks to the events of JLA/Avengers (way to link to your own work, Busiek) all bets are off. Enjoyable in a Michael Bay kind of way.

Marvel Knights 4 #15:
First of all, bringing H.E.R.B.I.E. into this just makes me deeply sad. Second of all, using Franklin's zany little self as a possible linchpin for another world-threatening drama says to me that the kid clearly has to die. Third, how many times are we gonna go around the mulberry bush with the "FF versus Rama Tut" story? Sure, the stories of the past were great -- but can you, I dunno, maybe write some new ones without using them as a crutch? Argh.

Green Arrow #47:
I was interested in the work Ollie and his team was doing to indirectly work at Star City's apparently untouchable crimelord Brick (who made a very smart analogy) when ... look, when the Duke of Oil pops up, all stretchy and grinning, the issue has pretty much gone to hell. I get that Brick wants to keep the Arrows busy ... but if we're gonna dig up a non-stop parade of shmucks like this, we may as well dig up Brother Power the Geek and call it a day. Saddening.

Ultimates Volume 2 #3:
Shipping on time? I really did believe I was having a stroke when I saw this one on the stands. Anyhoo, the trial of the Ultimate Hulk goes pretty much the only way it could, but apparently Ultimate Henry Pym throws a monkey wrench in the works that should send Bill Bixby back to his lawyer's office, looking for a way to get a royalty. Nothing special.

Savage Dragon: God War #2:
A fairly interesting story that almost picks up where the Thor storyline "Spiral" left off. A city of "gods" falls due to an accident, killing off much of a city and letting loose a mad god and possibly the end of the world. Yeah. Not as much fun as Kirkman is doing in Foes, but not bad.

JSA #70:
The good part is there's a mystery afoot, with clues I can't discern, and bringing in Black Adam, possibly my favorite DC character right now. The bad is that the JSA are doing a staggeringly bad job in the past at stopping Degaton, who's looking much more competent than he ever has. Not terribly fun watching people fail so effectively.

Thunderbolts #6:
My notes simply say, "Atlantis attacks, Hydra attacks," as Strucker is going a long way to make Hydra a major threat (they've romped through Thunderbolts, Wolverine and other titles). However, as watching the JSA get their faces stomped in in the past is no fun, having a team that's battered and/or indifferent is less than inspiring. When your most dedicated guys are the Radioactive Man (who sincerely needs some pants ... I know, "Solomon Grundy wants pants too!") and a borderline psychotic Erik Josten, well, your team needs some counseling. Or something. Not to mention the Atlanteans lameness stinks up the whole title like a fish market. Close, but not getting the bucks this week.

Majestic #2:
Majestic smash! I'm seeing hints of the hyperbole and ridiculous extremes that made Majestic so much fun to read in its original incarnation, as Majestic really knows how to chase somebody, but the mystery is barely closer to being solved, leaving the issue sugary and sweet but empty of nutritional content.

District X #10:
When marital stresses influence the job, it can get people hurt. The working relationship between Izzy and Bishop is showing considerable signs of strain as pressures from the work -- a high profile serial killer case at the lead of them -- bear down. Murky work here that's strong but not really grabbing me so much I had to buy it.

Outsiders #20:
I've never seen a super team have as much sex as this one, and I am very unhappy to have seen the two-page splash sex scene I saw. I can't erase that image from my mind. The issue is mostly a "blowing off steam" one after the intense John Walsh-assisted child slavery stuff of the last couple of months, but it does lead to a fun late revelation that got Nightwing's spandex in a bunch. Again, okay, but not great.

Marvel Knights Spider-Man #11:
I think I missed an issue, but it doesn't seem to have mattered. Mac Gargan is the new Venom (which leaves the Scorpion title conveniently empty for any plans Marvel may have for it), all brands of Spider bad guys are on hand to help Osborn swing for the fences, and the good Doctor Octavius is working a little harder than his newfound handlers would prefer. Making with the "biff" and the "pow," which I'm sure Spidey fans will enjoy, but nothing to attract my attention.

Action Comics #824:
Superman faces off against some boring Kandorian guy named Preus who's apparently better at everything Supes does than Big Blue is himself. It doesn't go well for the home team. When a literal legion of even more intensive problems pop up at the end, it really is a bad month for Kal-el (and several of his friends, as the JLA doesn't fare well against these challenges either).

Gambit #7:
The characterization of a corrupt cop is the centerpiece here, and it's done with a deft touch by Layman. I liked the interplay between Remy and the confused young mutant, and the art remains solid. How the heck is John Layman turning this title into something readable? It boggles the mind ...

Angel Town #4:
The Magician is found ... sort of, but it doesn't do anyone any good, as lots of people talk and plot against one another for their own gain. In that this story (and series) will be over in an issue or so, it doesn't seem to be getting anywhere this issue. Which, again, makes me sad.

Ultimate X-Men #56:
I leanred today that Ultimate Kitty Pryde needs to hold her breath when she phases, which makes her kind of lame. Also, in a real Scooby Doo kind of plot, the X-men get divided but not conquered as Ultimate Spiral (who has a sister) and Ultimate Arcade get surprises they don't want, while Ultimate Warren has a bad day. Another case of perfectly passable entertainment.

Read Pile Roundup: Moving between adequate and saddening as a whole.

So, How Was It This Week? Cheap and satisfying meets lengthy and mostly tiresome. Not great.

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